The Jammu and Kashmir administration released another batch of four politicians from house arrest on Friday, hinting at a possible resurgence of political activity in the Valley. The phased release of politicians, who had been under detention since August 5 last year, has also fuelled speculation that a new political platform could emerge in Kashmir soon.

The new political front, according to people aware of the matter, could be an amalgam of political leaders and activists from existing political parties, along with new faces who started political activities since August 5, when the Centre withdrew the special status given to Jammu andKashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories.

One of the names being discussed for the new platform isJ&K People’s Front but nothing has been finalised yet, said one of the persons, who did not wish to be identified. Top leaders of local political parties such as National Conference, People’s Democratic Party and People’s Conference, including former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, continue to remain under detention at three separate locations.About 24 other politicians, including Sajad Lone, Naem Akhtar and Shah Faesal,are under detention at the MLA hostel in Srinagar.

On Friday, the government released Ashraf Mir, Rafi Mir and Majid Padder of PDP and Hakeem Yaseen of People’s Democratic Front from house arrest. They refused to comment on the situation for now. The release of politicians started from the last week of November 2019. “One cannot rule out the emergence of a new political platform. Time is demanding this. A new situation is emerging here and it demands a new voice be raised,” former minister Ghulam Hassan Mir told ET.