Srinagar: The High Court in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir has issued a directive requiring the region’s administration to provide a response within four weeks regarding the preventive detention of Advocate Nazir Ahmad Ronga, a senior legal figure in the territory.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the court’s action comes amid heightened legal scrutiny over Ronga’s arrest under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), which occurred during a police raid at his home in Srinagar in July 2024. The incident, captured on CCTV, led to an immediate outcry from legal and human rights circles.
Justice Puneet Gupta, presiding over the case, has scheduled the next hearing for November 20, following a habeas corpus petition filed by advocate B.A. Khan. The petition demands not only Ronga’s release but also seeks compensation of Rs 60 lakhs for what it claims are grounds of illegal detention and torture under the PSA—a law that has been widely criticized for its severe implications on personal liberties.
The petition emphasizes that the IIOJK authorities have not adhered to the guidelines set by the Indian Supreme Court regarding detentions. On September 11, a bench led by Justice Sanjay Dhar ordered the administration to submit their response within three weeks, with proceedings set to continue into mid-October.
Nazir Ahmad Ronga, a prominent figure in the local judiciary, has been an active president of the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) since 2020. His tenure has been marked by controversies surrounding the prevention of annual elections by IIOJK authorities, significantly after the region’s special status was revoked in August 2019, leading to extensive political and civil restrictions.
The latest developments have fueled concerns among legal professionals and civil rights advocates, who view the continued postponement of the HCBA elections and Ronga’s subsequent arrests as part of broader efforts to suppress judicial independence and political dissent in the region.