SRINAGAR | February 9, 2026:- In a significant policy declaration within the Legislative Assembly, Minister Sakina Itoo announced on Monday that the Public Safety Act (PSA) will be revoked once Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood is restored.
Addressing the House during a heated debate regarding local youth detained in prisons outside the Union Territory, the Minister reaffirmed the National Conference’s (NC) manifesto commitment to dismantling the controversial law. She emphasized that the restoration of statehood remains the primary prerequisite for the elected government to gain the legal authority necessary to repeal the act and facilitate the return of those jailed across various Indian states.
During her address, Minister Itoo took a firm stance against political critics, reminding the Assembly that the mass detention and shifting of Kashmiri youth to facilities outside the region occurred under the previous PDP-BJP coalition government.
She rejected attempts to shift the blame onto the National Conference, stating that the current administration is focused on rectifying past grievances. “I want to remind them that when the PDP-BJP was in power, children were detained and sent to jails outside the region,” she noted, highlighting the shift in administrative priorities under the current leadership.
The Minister also provided a crucial clarification regarding the current limitations of the elected government’s power. She explained that, as a Union Territory, the Home Department is currently not under the direct control of the local cabinet.
However, she assured the public that as soon as administrative control over the Home Department is returned to the state government, a comprehensive review of PSA cases and related detentions will be prioritized.
