J&K to implement three new criminal laws from April laws: MOS Home

Jammu and Kashmir will implement three new criminal laws in April, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai announced in the Lok Sabha. These laws—Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA)—will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

A Steering Committee led by the Chief Secretary and an Empowered Committee headed by the Director General of Police have been formed to oversee the transition. Training sessions for police personnel and judicial officers are being conducted at multiple levels, and the laws have been translated into Urdu, Dogri, and Kashmiri.

The government is conducting joint awareness programs in all 282 administrative blocks twice a month.

Additionally, digital tools like e-Sakshya for evidence recording, e-summons, and SMS/email notifications have been activated under the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS).

Training efforts are extensive, with 975 Gazetted Officers, 60,890 police personnel, and 254 Judicial Officers already trained. Jammu and Kashmir Police are also using the iGoT Karmayogi platform, where over 50,984 personnel have completed 1,21,000 courses on the new laws.

Regular review meetings are being held at different administrative levels to monitor the implementation process, ensuring a smooth transition to the new legal framework.