New Delhi: Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has granted power of detaining authority to the Delhi Police Commissioner under the National Security Act. The move comes just ahead of the Assembly polls slated for February 8. The results are to be out on February 11.
The NSA allows preventive detention of an individual for months if the authorities feel that the individual is a threat to the national security, and law and order, sources said.
In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 3, read with clause (c) of Section 2 of the National Security Act, 1980, the Lt Governor pleased to direct that during the period January 19 to April 18, the Delhi Police Commissioner may also exercise the powers of detaining authority under sub-section (2) of the section 3 of the aforesaid Act, the notification stated.
The notification has been issued on January 10 following the approval of the LG.
It comes at a time when the national capital has been witnessing a number of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Delhi Police drew a lot of flak recently for how it responded to the protests that mushroomed across the city, and for when they just looked on as masked goons stormed the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus here and attacked students and faculty.
However, the Delhi Police said it is a routine order that has been issued in every quarter and has nothing to do with the current situation. Delhi Police come under the jurisdiction of the Union Home Ministry and not the Delhi government.
Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party is set to retain power comfortably in Delhi Assembly, according to opinion polls.
(With inputs from PTI)