APRIL 1: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has implemented a comprehensive framework to ensure the full enforcement of three new criminal laws in the region. To facilitate smooth implementation, several key measures have been introduced, including the formation of specialized committees and extensive training programs for law enforcement and judicial officers.
A Steering Committee has been established under the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, along with an Empowered Committee under the Director General of Police (DGP) to oversee the implementation of these laws. The committees are tasked with coordinating efforts across various departments, ensuring that the new criminal laws are fully integrated into the legal and law enforcement systems of the region.
Training is a critical component of this initiative. The Government has organized various training programs for police personnel and judicial officers. These sessions are held at the Police Academy, Police Training Institutes, District Police Lines, and Battalion Training Centres. The training programs cover all aspects of the new criminal laws, ensuring that officers are well-equipped to implement them effectively. Additionally, translations of these laws into the local languages of Urdu, Dogri, and Kashmiri have been completed to make the laws accessible to all stakeholders.
Furthermore, joint awareness programs are being held across the region. In collaboration with other government departments, Jammu and Kashmir Police are organizing these awareness sessions at all 282 blocks. These programs take place in the second and fourth week of every month, ensuring wide outreach and engagement with the public.
In terms of technological integration, the Government has activated all necessary Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS) patches, including e-Sakshya, an audio-video recording application for Investigating Officers (IOs). This enables the electronic transmission of e-summons, SMS, and emails, streamlining the legal process and improving efficiency. Additionally, all required Rules, Notifications, and Administrative Orders concerning the new criminal laws have been issued.
To date, significant progress has been made in training personnel. A total of 975 Gazetted Officers, 60,890 police personnel, and 254 Judicial Officers have been trained in the new criminal laws. Moreover, 191 Master Trainers have been trained under the Training of Trainers (ToT) program, and 118 personnel have undergone training at NFSU, Gandhinagar. The iGoT Karmayogi platform has also been utilized to onboard 50,984 personnel, who have completed over 121,000 courses, including 110,773 on the new criminal laws.
To ensure continuous monitoring and assessment of the implementation process, review meetings are held regularly. These meetings are conducted fortnightly by the Chief Secretary and weekly by the Principal Secretary (Home), DGP, and top police officials. The reports from these meetings are circulated internally within the Government to track progress and address challenges.
This comprehensive approach to implementing new criminal laws reflects the Government of Jammu and Kashmir’s commitment to improving the legal and policing infrastructure in the region. The efforts aim to ensure that the laws are effectively enforced and that personnel are well-prepared to handle the challenges that come with their implementation.