LG Anil Baijal Grants Delhi Police Commissioner Detaining Power Under NSA Till October 18

This comes ahead of the Independence Day and at a time when the farmers have been protesting against the Centre’s three agriculture laws at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital.

Delhi Police

New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has, according to a notification, granted the powers of detaining authority to the Police Commissioner till October 18 under the National Security Act (NSA).

"In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 3, read with clause (e) of Section 2 of the National Security Act, 1980, the Lt Governor pleased to direct that during the period July 19 to October 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," PTI quoted the notification as stating.

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This comes ahead of the Independence Day and at a time when the farmers have been protesting against the Centre’s three agriculture laws at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital.

Sources said the NSA allows preventive detention of an individual for months if the authorities feel that the individual is a threat to national security and law and order.

The Delhi Police, however, said it is a routine order and is issued regularly.

Delhi Police Commissioner Balaji Srivastava had earlier this month issued order, prohibiting the flying of aerial objects like drones, paragliders and hot air balloons ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.

Earlier on Thursday, a group of 200 farmers were given permission to participate in the demonstration at the Jantar Mantar which takes place during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

The farmers mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been camping at Delhi borders since November last year, demanding that the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.

Several rounds of talks between the farmers and the government have failed to break the deadlock.