Mehraj Malik

Mehraj Malik
Mehraj Malik
Member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
8 October 2024
Chief MinisterOmar Abdullah
Preceded byShakti Raj
ConstituencyDoda
Doda District Development Council councillor
In office
24 December 2020 – 8 October 2024
ConstituencyKahara Constituency
Co-chairman of J&K State Coordination Committee Aam Aadmi Party
In office
17 October 2022 – 21 March 2025
Preceded byPost established
State President of Jammu and Kashmir for Aam Aadmi Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
21 March 2025
Preceded byPost established
Personal details
BornMehraj Din Malik
1988 (age 37–38)
Bhalessa, Jammu and Kashmir
PartyAam Aadmi Party
Residence(s)Tandla, Chilly Pingal, Bhalessa
Alma materUniversity of Jammu (M.A in political science), University of Jammu (B.ed)
OccupationPolitician, social worker
ProfessionPublic servant

Mehraj Malik (born in 1988) is an Indian politician and social worker from Jammu and Kashmir. He was elected as a member of legislative assembly (MLA) for the Doda Assembly constituency in October 2024. He was the Aam Aadmi Party's first and only winning MLA candidate in J&K as of 2024. On 17 October 2022, the Aam Aadmi Party appointed him as co-chairman of the J&K State Coordination Committee.[1] On 21 March 2025, Malik was appointed as State President for Aam Aadmi Party in J&K.[2][3][4] On 8 September 2025, Malik was arrested under Public Safety Act.

Political career

Mehraj Malik began his political career after joining the AAP in 2013 and ran as an independent candidate in the 2014 Assembly elections.[5] In 2020, he was elected to the Doda District Development Council as an independent candidate with the margin of 3511 votes in Kahara.[6][7]

After protest against a land eviction drive in Jammu, Mehraj Malik was taken into custody for questioning. The authorities detained Malik due to allegations that he delivered a speech at the location where a violent incident occurred.[8] On 10 February 2023, he was released on bail.[9]

Member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly

In October 2024, Mehraj Malik became the first member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), representing the Doda Assembly constituency. Malik's victory, with a margin of over 4,000 votes, defeating BJP candidate Gajay Singh Rana, marked a breakthrough for AAP in a region historically dominated by the National Conference and BJP.[10][11][12][13]

Public Safety Act detention

Main article: Arrest of Mehraj Malik

On 8 September 2025, Malik, the sole Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, was detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) for a period of one year on grounds of disturbing public order.[14][15] The detention order (No. 05 of 2025) was issued by the District Magistrate of Doda, Harvinder Singh, who cited Malik’s involvement in 18 FIRs and 16 daily diary reports between 2014 and 2025, as well as a recent public confrontation with the Deputy Commissioner over the relocation of a health sub-centre and pending flood-relief payments.[16] Malik was initially lodged in Bhaderwah Jail and later transferred to Kathua District Jail. The detention marked the first instance of a sitting legislator being booked under the PSA in Jammu and Kashmir, prompting criticism from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, and several other political figures who described it as an attack on democratic norms.[17][18]

Malik challenged the detention by filing a habeas corpus petition (HCP No. 139/2025) in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh at Jammu on 24 September 2025, seeking quashing of the PSA order and ₹5 crore in compensation for alleged violation of fundamental rights.[19] The petition has been heard by multiple benches; after partial arguments on 20 November 2025 and 4 December 2025 before Justice Mohd Yousuf Wani, the court marked the case as “part-heard” and scheduled final hearing for 18 December 2025.[20] As of December 2025, Malik remains in preventive custody, and no final judgment has been delivered.

References

  1. ^ "AAP appoints Harshdev Singh as chairman, Mehraj Malik, one other as co-chairman of state committee in J&K". The Chenab Times. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  2. ^ Shakeel, Raja (21 March 2025). "Aam Aadmi Party Appoints Mehraj Malik as Jammu and Kashmir State President". The Chenab Times. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  3. ^ Excelsior, Daily (21 March 2025). "Saurabh Bharadwaj Appointed Delhi AAP Chief, Mehraj Malik To Head J&K Unit". Daily Excelsior. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  4. ^ कुरैशी, आसिफ (21 March 2025). "J&K में विधायक को AAP ने दी बड़ी जिम्मेदारी, प्रदेश अध्यक्ष बनाए जाने पर क्या बोले मेहराज मलिक?". ABP News (in Hindi). Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  5. ^ "Mehraj Din Malik - 2014 Assembly Candidate Jammu and Kashmir". Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  6. ^ "J&K DDC Polls: Contesting as Independent, AAP leader from Doda scores first win for party". The Free Press Journal. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  7. ^ Sharma, Arun (31 March 2022). "AAP marks Jammu presence with Doda rally; rivals take note, watch ranks". The Indian Express. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  8. ^ "DDC member among 8 held over Jammu violence; protests continue in Valley against L-G's eviction drive". The Hindu. 7 February 2023 – via www.thehindu.com.
  9. ^ "J&K AAP leader and DDC member Mehraj Malik released on bail, listen in – Chenab Times WebTV". Chenab Times WebTV. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  10. ^ "AAP's Mehraj Malik wins Doda seat by 4,000 votes, defeating Gajay Singh Rana of the Bharatiya Janata Party". Business Standard. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Mehraj Malik becomes AAP's first MLA in Jammu and Kashmir". The Chenab Times. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  12. ^ "AAP Makes History In J&K, 35-Yr-Old Mehraj Malik Wins Doda Defeating BJP". ABP Live. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Arvind Kejriwal congratulates Mehraj Malik via video call". NDTV. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  14. ^ Sharma, Arun (9 September 2025). "J&K's only AAP MLA is first legislator to be detained under Public Safety Act for a year". The Indian Express. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  15. ^ "J&K's Lone AAP MLA Mehraj Malik Arrested Under Public Safety Act". NDTV. 9 September 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  16. ^ Khajuria, Ravi Krishnan (9 September 2025). "J&K's lone AAP legislator Mehraj Malik detained under stringent PSA". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  17. ^ "Omar Abdullah, Kejriwal slam detention of AAP MLA Mehraj Malik under PSA". The Statesman. 9 September 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  18. ^ "AAP MLA arrested under Public Safety Act; J&K CM, parties condemn move". The Hindu. 8 September 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  19. ^ "J&K&L High Court Issues Notice On Plea Challenging Detention Of AAP MLA Mehraj Din Malik Under Public Safety Act". LiveLaw. 25 September 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  20. ^ "Detained AAP MLA Mehraj Malik's plea listed for final hearing in J&K HC on December 4". The Tribune. 20 November 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehraj_Malik