J&K Judicial Academy organises training programme on New Criminal Laws

Srinagar, Mar 30: J&K Judicial Academy organised a two day training programme on “New Criminal Laws” at J&K Judicial Academy, Mominabad.

The event was held for judicial officers of Kashmir Province and UT of Ladakh, prosecution officers, police officers and officers from Forensic Science Laboratories of Kashmir Province including Research Assistants of High Court of J&K and Ladakh at Srinagar Wing.

The training programme, organised under the stewardship of Chief Justice, High Court of J&K and Ladakh, Justice N Kotiswar Singh, was inaugurated by Justice Sanjeev Kumar, Judge, High Court of J&K and Ladakh in presence of Sakal Bhushan, an eminent lawyer from Jammu now practising in Supreme Court of India, who was the resource person in the training programme.

Justice Sanjeev Kumar, in his inaugural address, pointed out that earlier Indian Penal Code, as the name suggested, was to penalise the Indians. He said that overhauling of these laws was a long pending demand of the society and the government observed that this is the right time to revoke these laws. The government entrusted the job to reform criminal laws to Professor Ranbir Singh, founder Vice Chancellor of National Law University, Delhi, who is the Chairperson of Committee for reforms in Criminal Laws.

The Committee was made to focus on safety, security and welfare of Indians and integrity of the nation. He also gave an overview of the three new laws; Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA) and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) and highlighted that these new laws are in tune with the spirit of the Constitution and have been introduced in keeping with the aspirations of ‘we the people’.

Elaborating further Justice Kumar said that laws of the British-era were aimed at punishing and enforcing allegiance to foreign rule whereas, the soul of new laws is Indianness. “For the first time our criminal justice system will be governed by the laws of India, made by the Indians and for India,” he said. He further highlighted that these new laws are not just to punish but to impart justice with equal consideration to the rehabilitation of the victim and provide justice to one and all particularly the weak and marginalised.

Justice Kumar added that the new way of inflicting punishments like community service reflects changing sentiments of the public. It’s not just about punishing people but also about making them realise and do something constructive for the community. He emphasised that idea is to make them learn from their mistakes and contribute positively to the society.