Asking all the Government as well as private institutions not to hire the services of un-registered Private Security Agencies (PSA), the Home Department has ordered immediate closure of such illegal agencies.
According to a circular in this regard, all the Government/Semi-Government/ Central/ Public Sector Undertakings and Private Institutions, including Banks, have been impressed upon not to hire the services of those Private Security Agencies, which are not having PSARA license from the Controlling Authority appointed under the Jammu & Kashmir Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act 2015 in the Home Department.
Observing that some PSAs are operating in the State without permission/ license from the Controlling Authority, the Home Department has directed that such un-registered agencies need to be closed down immediately without serving a notice, for which the process has already been set into motion.
It is pertinent to mention that in terms of section 4 of the J&K Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act 2015, no person can carry on or commence the business of Private Security Agency in the State unless he holds a license issued under the said Act by the Controlling Authority (CA).
The Private Security Agencies Regulation Act lays down the legal legal framework for PSAs to operate within and are accountable to a regulatory mechanism. The provision of a Controlling Authority is made by various State Governments in India for the purpose of granting operating licences to PSAs and regulate their working. The CAs are to be appointed by State Governments and are usually senior police officers or officials from the home department. In the case of Jammu & Kashmir the CA is the Special Secretary to the Government Home Department
