The regional administration of Indian-administered Kashmir has sealed the office of a leading English newspaper, whose publisher said the action was "vendetta for speaking out".

Separately,  UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet yesterday voiced her dismay at the arrest of activists in India and restrictions to the work of non-governmental organisations.

The local administration's estates department on Monday sealed the office of Kashmir Times – one of the oldest newspapers in the region – located in the Press Enclave in the disputed region's main city of Srinagar.

Anuradha Bhasin, the owner and executive editor of Kashmir Times, told Al Jazeera "no due process" was followed by the authorities in sealing their office. The authorities came in and ordered workers to leave and locked the office, she alleged. Defending the move, an official of the region's estates department told Al Jazeera that they have not closed the office of Kashmir Times, but took possession of a state property.

Media watchdog, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and Kashmir journalists and politicians condemned the move.

Meanwhile, The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights yesterday appealed to New Delhi to safeguard the rights of human rights defenders and NGOs.

Bachelet took aim at the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, which prohibits the receipt of foreign funds "for any activities prejudicial to the public interest".

Bachelet said that activists and human rights defenders had come under mounting pressure in recent months, particularly those involved in mass protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

India ranked 142 on the World Press Freedom Index this year.