Delhi police commissioner gets detention power under NSA

In a significant development, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has authorised the Delhi’s Police Commissioner to detain under the National Security Act (NSA) people who pose a threat to the national capital, sources told news agency Press Trust of India.

The order, which came into force from Wednesday, is effective till January 18 next year.

“The lieutenant governor has authorised the commissioner of police to take into preventive detention those who become a threat to the national capital,” a senior police officer told PTI.

The official notification cites subsection 2 of section 3 of NSA that states that the central government or a state government, if satisfied that a person can act in any manner prejudicial to the security of the state or the maintenance of public order, can make an order directing that such person be detained as a preventive measure, according to the news agency.

In 2021 too, the then Delhi LG Anil Bailjal had given similar powers to the Delhi Police commissioner.

The order had come ahead of Independence Day and when farmers protesting against the Centre’s three agriculture reform laws were holding a “Kisan Sansad” at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

The Delhi Police, meanwhile, had said that it was a routine order and was issued regularly, as per media reports. The order remained in force in the national capital for a period of 32 days from July 16 till August 16 for security reasons.

Recently, the Tamil Nadu Police invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against two activists of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), reported ABP live.

Police had arrested Syed Ali (42) and K Khader Hussain (33) for hurling a kerosene-laden lit bottle at the residence of an RSS leader.

(With inputs from agencies)