Amit Shah Calls for Swift Implementation of New Criminal Laws in J&K

Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged the Jammu and Kashmir administration to implement three new criminal laws by April 2025. He emphasized the need for police reform, technological use for speedy justice, and ensuring trial in absentia to improve the criminal justice system in the region.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to ensure the complete implementation of three pivotal new criminal laws by April 2025. His comments came during a review meeting in the presence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

Shah emphasized the importance of shifting the mindset of police and administrative personnel, and creating widespread public awareness regarding the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam — which replaced the outdated colonial-era legal codes. He further advocated for leveraging technology to expedite justice proceedings and encouraged the use of Trial in Absentia across the union territory.

The Home Minister called for accountability among police officers to hasten charge sheet filings and urged thorough scrutiny of counter-terrorism and organized crime provisions at senior police levels to prevent misuse. The administration's progress will be reviewed periodically, he added, highlighting the urgency for reforms in the local criminal justice system.