SRINAGAR, February 5, 2026 — The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has scheduled February 12, 2026, as the next date for hearing the high-profile Public Safety Act (PSA) case involving Mehraj Malik, the sitting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Doda.
During today’s proceedings, the court, presided over by Justice Mohammad Yousuf, heard part of the arguments presented by the Jammu and Kashmir administration in support of the legislator’s detention.
The bench subsequently directed the government to continue advancing its submissions on the next listed date, as the state is expected to place additional evidence and legal contentions before the court.
Mehraj Malik, is first sitting MLA of JK UT to be detained under the stringent PSA, was arrested in September 2025 for allegedly “disturbing public order.”
Since then, he has been challenging his detention through a habeas corpus petition, with his legal team arguing that the move is an abuse of power and a violation of fundamental rights.
Today’s session focused on the government’s justification for his continued incarceration in Kathua District Jail.
Legal observers and political leaders across Jammu and Kashmir are closely monitoring the case, as the court’s final ruling will likely set a significant precedent regarding the use of preventive detention laws against elected representatives.
