The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has set aside the preventive detention of advocate Nazir Ahmad Ronga, former President of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association. Ronga was detained under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA) in July 2024.
A bench led by Justice Sanjay Dhar, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) directed the authorities to release Ronga immediately, citing lack of specific material evidence supporting the allegations against him.
The High Court observed that the grounds for detention were “vague and ambiguous,” making it difficult for Ronga to make an effective representation against the detention order.
The High Court noted that the detention record did not include any intelligence report to substantiate the claims against Ronga.
It further stated that the grounds of detention appeared general in nature, without mentioning any specific role played by him.
The absence of material particulars in the detention order, the court held, violated Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India, which provides detainees the right to make a representation against their detention, the High Court stated—(KNO)
