The State Administrative Council of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday approved a bill to set up a special force for the security of Governor Satya Pal Malik, who heads the council, and his family, The Indian Express reported. The state has been under Governor’s Rule since June.

At present, the state police’s security wing provides protection to the governor and a Special Security Group works with the chief minister, former chief ministers and their families.

K Vijay Kumar, an adviser to the governor, said he made the suggestion and it was a “well thought-out decision”. “We didn’t want to mix it with the force protecting the chief ministers,” he told The Indian Express. “There will be 160 people in this new force. We could have expanded the SSG [Special Security Group] and tasked them with the governor’s security as well. But that wasn’t proper, especially in J&K.”

National Conference leader AR Rather said the governor has the power to issue ordinances since the state is being run by him, but it has to be used judiciously. “It seems the governor is making laws at such a speed that isn’t possible even for an elected assembly,” Rather told The Indian Express. “An ordinance is brought in an extraordinary situation when a delay could harm the interests of the state or cause a crisis. Here, the Governor wants to change everything by introducing new laws almost daily.”

Peoples Democratic Party leader Nayeem Akhtar said the governor has “erected a great wall of China around himself”.