Says elected government not responsible for implementation but must educate people; No security discussions in Amit Shah’s meeting
Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar,(DD): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah emphasized the need for greater public awareness about the newly introduced criminal laws in Jammu and Kashmir, stating that while their implementation is not the responsibility of the elected government, efforts must be made to educate people on these provisions.
Speaking to reporters after attending a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Omar noted that J&K has performed well in implementing the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, which replaced the colonial-era IPC, CrPC, and the Indian Evidence Act. However, he acknowledged certain shortcomings that need to be addressed.
“There are some weak areas that require attention, but overall, J&K has done well in implementing these laws,” he stated.
Omar clarified that the meeting did not include discussions on security-related matters in J&K, as he had already addressed those issues with Amit Shah during a recent interaction in Parliament.
“If a decision has been made to exclude elected representatives from security reviews, what more can I say?” Omar remarked, expressing his inability to comment further on the matter.
On Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the appointment process for the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Omar defended the opposition’s right to dissent, adding that the issue is currently sub-judice in the Supreme Court.
The review meeting on the implementation of the new criminal laws was attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and top officials from the central and J&K government(DD)