In an unprecedented move Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal has granted power of detaining authority to the Delhi Police Commissioner under the National Security Act, according to a notification.
Under the National Security Act, an individual can be detained without a charge for up to 12 months. The individual also need not be informed of the charges for 10 days.
The detained individual can appeal before a high court advisory board but is not allowed a lawyer during the trial.
Also, the individual can be put under preventive detention for months if authorities are satisfied that he/she is a threat to national security or law and order. The state government concerned needs to be intimated that an individual has been detained under the NSA.
In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 3, read with clause (c) of Section 2 of the National Security Act, 1980, the Lt Governor pleased to direct that during the period January 19 to April 18, the Delhi Police Commissioner may also exercise the powers of detaining authority under sub-section (2) of the section 3 of the aforesaid Act, the notification stated.
The notification has been issued on January 10 following the approval of the LG.
It comes at a time when the national capital has been witnessing a number of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
SIGN UP FOR COUNTERCURRENTS DAILY NEWS LETTER
