Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that the implementation of the three new criminal laws in the Union Territory has been largely successful, barring a few minor issues that will be addressed.
His remarks came after attending a review meeting chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah at the ministry of home affairs (MHA) in New Delhi.
“By and large, the implementation of the new laws in Jammu and Kashmir has been successful, with only a few issues that will be rectified,” Abdullah told reporters after the meeting.
The meeting was attended by J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, senior government officials and key representatives from the home ministry.
It focused on assessing the rollout of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), which replaced the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act, respectively.
Need for public awareness
While Abdullah acknowledged that the implementation of criminal laws falls under the jurisdiction of the Central government, he stressed the importance of making people aware of the new legal provisions.
“Though it is not the elected government’s responsibility to implement these laws in a Union Territory, it is essential to educate the public about their provisions and implications. Awareness must be raised in colleges, universities, and public forums,” he said.
The CM also stated that no law and order issues were discussed during the meeting, clarifying that such discussions took place during a separate meeting with Amit Shah at Parliament recently.
Abdullah was also questioned about his absence from recent security review meetings on Jammu and Kashmir. Responding to this, he said, “If a decision is taken that the elected government will not be called for security review meetings, what can we do? That is fine.”
His remarks highlight the ongoing debate over the role of the elected J&K government in security-related decision-making, particularly since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which led to the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
During the meeting, Shah said that a similar review had already been conducted for 11 states and Union Territories. The implementation of the new laws in J&K was assessed across police, courts, prosecution, forensic systems, and prison administration.
In recent months, the home minister has held similar meetings with several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Maharashtra. The government has emphasised that these new laws are aimed at ensuring faster justice delivery, with the goal of resolving criminal cases within three years from FIR registration to the final judgment.
Abdullah also addressed the recent disagreement between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and PM Modi over the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). He defended Gandhi’s right to dissent, stating, “He has a right to dissent… that is why he is there. He is not there just to agree with the government’s decision.”
