Jammu: The Joint Screening Committee (JSC) meeting to review 108 cases of militants
and political prisoners in Jammu and Kashmir was postponed for the third time on
January 28, according to official sources.
"The meeting of five-member JSC was postponed again today (January 28) and the next
date of meeting will be fixed later," the sources said.
No official reason was stated for the postponement, they said.
Observers, however, said it could have been apparently due to the Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP)-led Central government's reluctance to involve itself in any process
connected with the release of militants in J and K in view of the forthcoming
elections in Himachal Pradesh.
The BJP had made the release of 24 militants and political prisoners as the main
poll plank against Congress, one of coalition partners in the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP)-led state government.
The JSC was formed in December after controversy raised by the Centre over the
release of militants without consulting them. It has one Central government
representative, a joint secretary from Ministry of Home Affairs, Rakesh Ahooja, J
and K chief secretary Sudhir Beloria, director general of police (JK) Ashok Suri, J
and K intelligence chief Kuldeep Khuda and J and K home commissioner S D Singh on
its panel.
The first meeting scheduled on January 3 was postponed to January 17, the sources
said, adding that it could not be held on January 17 due to non- arrival of Central
government representative due to cancellation flights in inclement weather.
PTI
