Ibni Maqbool
Srinagar, Oct 28: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday wound up it’s first-ever Law Commission constituted during the PDP- BJP rule in 2017.
The department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Wednesday issued an order to disband the panel.
“Sanction is accorded to the winding up of the first law commission for Jammu and Kashmir constituted vide govt. Order No. 3378-LD(A) of 2017 dated 04-08-2017 with effects t from 03-08-2020,” reads the order, a copy of which is with Precious Kashmir.
On September 20, this newspaper had reported that Jammu and Kashmir’s Law Commission was functioning even after completing its term.
The panel headed by former High Court Judge MK Hanjura completed its three-year term on August 3, 2019.
The report carried by this newspaper highlighted that the panel’s chairman and staff were attending duties in absence of any direction from the government.
On August 4, 2017, the Law department(vide order NO. 3379-LD(A) ) had ordered creation of the Commission comprising of a chairman, two full-time members, two part-time members and secretary department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
The Commission’s terms of reference include identification of redundant and obsolete state laws which can be repealed, identification of laws that require changes and amendments and make recommendations in this regard. It was also empowered to suggest measures for quick redress of public grievances in the field of law, and examine laws that affect the poor and carry out post-audit of socio-economic legislation.
The commission, however, became functional after January 7, 2019 when former High Court Judge, Justice (Retd) M K Hanjura was appointed as its chairman.
Since January 2019, the panel submitted more 10 reports to Jammu and Kashmir government seeking changes in the laws.
It had also recommended separate human rights commission for Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh.
“Taking into consideration the vagaries of weather, the difficult terrain, the topography, the geographical conditions with which the two Union Territories are confronted with and above all the number of complaints which were pending for disposal at the time of winding up of the Human Right Commission of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir, it may not be feasible and possible to confer the functions relating to human rights upon a State Commission located outside these Union Territories”, read the report submitted by it to government last year.
Pertinent to mention here that 10 commissions and rights bodies were disbanded by Jammu and Kashmir government after Centre made constitutional changes on August 5, 2019.
JK winds up first-ever Law Commission
