J&K to roll out public awareness initiatives for New Criminal Laws: LG

Jammu, Jan 09: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level meeting today to review the implementation of three new criminal laws in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The laws including Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, came into effect on July 1, 2024.
The meeting was attended by a range of senior officials, including Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, DGP Nalin Prabhat, Principal Secretary Home Chandraker Bharti, DGP Prisons Department Deepak Kumar, ADGP Hqrs/Coordination M.K. Sinha, Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, IGP Hqr PHQ Bhim Sen Tuti, and IGP Crime Dr. Sunil Gupta, among others.
During the meeting, the Lieutenant Governor reviewed the extensive capacity-building and training measures undertaken for police personnel and officials from other departments to ensure the effective implementation of the new criminal laws. He emphasised the need for dedicated efforts to strengthen the Criminal Justice System and highlighted the importance of increasing the conviction rate, especially in cases involving heinous crimes, anti-national activities, and terror-related incidents.
“We must ensure transparency in action taken by the police and meet the timelines set for speedy investigation and trial, as outlined in the new criminal laws,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Sinha also directed a comparative study of the pre- and post-era under the new criminal laws and called for the preparation of a calendar for public awareness campaigns. These campaigns will be organised in collaboration with various departments, including information, education, social welfare, and the Legal Services Authority, with the goal of enhancing public awareness regarding the new laws.
The meeting further discussed progress on technological interventions, the notification of Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) and guidelines, as well as the translation of the new laws into Dogri and Kashmiri. The procurement of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) vans, along with the training of forensic experts, prison personnel, and judicial officers, was also reviewed.
Secretary of Health and Medical Education Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Secretary of the Department of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Achal Sethi, Director of the J&K Judicial Academy Sonia Gupta, SIO NIC Jaskaran Singh Modi, and other senior officials were also present at the meeting.