The Delhi Police commissioner has been given the power of detaining authority approved by Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal under the National Security Act for a duration of three months starting from January 19 to April 18, according to a notification.
According to National Security Act, a person can be detained for months if the authorities feel that the individual is a threat to national security, law and order. The government can also withhold information which it considers to be against public interest to disclose when providing the grounds for an arrest.
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However, the Delhi Police has clarified that this is a routine order and is issued every quarter.
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 is 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 comes amid nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).