Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, both former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir state -- now bifurcated -- will remain in detention for some more time.

Abdullah, 49, and Mufti, 60, were detained in August, when the government annnounced its hugely controversial decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir's special status -- and with it. 

Most political leaders were released after signing a bond not to indulge in political activity, but at least 10 continue to be held, sources said.

The three detained former chief ministers -- that includes Farooq Abdullah, Omar's father -- will be the last to be released, the sources said.

The government will also extend the detention of former IAS officer Shah Faesal, now a politician.

Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Shah Faesal are in preventive custody under Section 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

The government is said to be considering whether to keeping using Section 107 of the CrPC, or to use the Public Safety Act (PSA).

The government is said to be considering whether to keeping using Section 107 of the CrPC, or to use the Public Safety Act (PSA).

The PSA is a 1978 Jammu and Kashmir law, often described as a draconian measure, that allows authorities to detain a person for up to two years without a trial. This provision was used to detain Farooq Abdullah.

On Thursday, the PSA was slapped on National Conference (NC) general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, former NC MLC Bashir Veeri and PDP leader Sartaj Madni -- the maternal uncle of Mehbooba Mufti -- soon after their release.

Four political leaders were released on Wednesday, including Peoples Conference leader Sajjad Lone -- once a close BJP aide -- and the PDP's Wahid Para.

The removal of Jammu and Kashmir's special status was met with angry protests by the Opposition -- P Chidambaram called it a "grave mistake" -- but the government, on the other hand, contended that it had corrected a "historic blunder".

Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Abdullahs and Mehbooba Mufti for comments they made on the abrogation of Article 370. He said his government would not allow the disturbance of peace in any place in India -- be it Kashmir or the Northeast.