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As the Government offices closed for biennial shifting to winter capital Jammu, the Cabinet in its last meeting in Srinagar on Friday discussed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) but there was no decision on revocation of the legislation as announced by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Even as Chief Minister tweeted that the AFSPA was not on the agenda of the Cabinet meeting, authoritative sources said that the AFSPA was discussed but the Congress Ministers insisted broader consensus over the issue before arriving at a final decision.
The Cabinet has decided to take up the issue in the next meeting in Jammu on November 10. Meanwhile, the senior Congress leadership has sent requests to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Army Chief General VK Singh to visit Jammu and Kashmir before November 10 to assess the ground situation, sources said.
Besides the Cabinet meeting, the security and AFSPA were discussed in the Core Group of the Unified Command Headquarters consisting of Northern Commander, Director General of Police and the Commander of XV Corps.
Sources said that the Cabinet meeting decided to get memos from the Army and other security agencies operating in the embattled State, which would be forwarded to the Union Home Ministry. Sources said the discussion on AFSPA was not on the Cabinet’s agenda but the issue came under discussion and Congress Ministers expressed resentment over the Chief Minister’s recent announcement indicating removal of central laws from select localities of the State before the shifting of Government offices.
Sources said the discussion on AFSPA delayed several scheduled issues including reshuffle in bureaucracy. Barring Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, all Ministers took part in the Cabinet meeting.
Senior Congress leader and Irrigation Minister Taj Mohiuddin said that the cabinet decided to put the AFSPA issue on the agenda of next cabinet meeting.
Sources said the Cabinet okayed promulgation of the ordinance titled ‘The Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (Amendment) Ordinance 2011’.
“The amendments contain that no minor can be detained under PSA now and maximum imprisonment under the Act would be reduced from two years to six months. Interrogator should know the language of the detainee and PSA review committee advisory board should be replaced after every five-year,” sources added. Meanwhile, the Core Group of the Unified Command Headquarters also held a meeting at XV Corps headquarters to discuss the security situation in the State.
Even as Chief Minister tweeted that the AFSPA was not on the agenda of the Cabinet meeting, authoritative sources said that the AFSPA was discussed but the Congress Ministers insisted broader consensus over the issue before arriving at a final decision.
The Cabinet has decided to take up the issue in the next meeting in Jammu on November 10. Meanwhile, the senior Congress leadership has sent requests to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Army Chief General VK Singh to visit Jammu and Kashmir before November 10 to assess the ground situation, sources said.
Besides the Cabinet meeting, the security and AFSPA were discussed in the Core Group of the Unified Command Headquarters consisting of Northern Commander, Director General of Police and the Commander of XV Corps.
Sources said that the Cabinet meeting decided to get memos from the Army and other security agencies operating in the embattled State, which would be forwarded to the Union Home Ministry. Sources said the discussion on AFSPA was not on the Cabinet’s agenda but the issue came under discussion and Congress Ministers expressed resentment over the Chief Minister’s recent announcement indicating removal of central laws from select localities of the State before the shifting of Government offices.
Sources said the discussion on AFSPA delayed several scheduled issues including reshuffle in bureaucracy. Barring Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, all Ministers took part in the Cabinet meeting.
Senior Congress leader and Irrigation Minister Taj Mohiuddin said that the cabinet decided to put the AFSPA issue on the agenda of next cabinet meeting.
Sources said the Cabinet okayed promulgation of the ordinance titled ‘The Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (Amendment) Ordinance 2011’.
“The amendments contain that no minor can be detained under PSA now and maximum imprisonment under the Act would be reduced from two years to six months. Interrogator should know the language of the detainee and PSA review committee advisory board should be replaced after every five-year,” sources added. Meanwhile, the Core Group of the Unified Command Headquarters also held a meeting at XV Corps headquarters to discuss the security situation in the State.
