Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday to review the implementation of three new criminal laws in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting was attended by key officials, including Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and senior officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Union Territory (UT) administration.

The meeting discussed how the new criminal laws are being followed in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in areas like police work, prisons, courts, and forensic investigations. Home Minister Amit Shah told the administration to fully apply these laws by April 2025. He also said that technology should be used to make the justice system faster and more efficient.

Change in police attitude and public awareness needed

During the meeting, Amit Shah stated, "It is imperative to change the attitude of the police personnel and the administration and create awareness about the new laws among the citizens." He highlighted the need for police officers and officials to adopt a new approach that prioritises the rights of the people.

The Home Minister noted that with a reduction in terrorist activities and an improvement in the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, law enforcement should now focus on protecting citizens' rights. He also stressed the necessity of implementing the provision of "Trial in Absentia" in the UT.

To ensure effective implementation of the new laws, Shah directed that police officers must take responsibility for speeding up the process of filing charge sheets. He said, "Every police station in Jammu and Kashmir should put the maximum use of the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) into practice." This system is expected to improve criminal investigations and ensure better identification of offenders.

Training and monitoring of new laws

The home minister said that all officers who investigate crimes should be trained properly on the new laws as soon as possible. He also said that there should be strict checks to make sure that laws related to terrorism and organised crime are not misused. He added that any decision on these laws should be carefully reviewed by the Superintendent of Police before being approved.

Shah acknowledged the efforts made by the Jammu and Kashmir administration despite challenging circumstances. He noted that the implementation progress should be reviewed regularly at different levels. "The progress of implementation of the three new laws in Jammu and Kashmir should be reviewed on a monthly, fortnightly, and weekly basis at the level of the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, and Director General of Police, respectively."

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s response

After attending the meeting, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that some weak areas in implementing the laws were identified and need immediate attention. He remarked that in a Union Territory, the elected government is not directly responsible for implementing the law. However, he suggested that the government might play a role in raising awareness among the public about the new legal provisions.

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