Review Meeting on New Criminal Laws Implementation in J&K

• 19 Feb 2025

Why in News? 

Recently, the Union Home Minister chaired a review meeting in New Delhi to assess the implementation of three new criminal laws in Jammu and Kashmir.  

• The Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister of the Union territory attended the meeting. 

 Key Points 

• Key Areas of Review: 
  • The meeting evaluated the implementation and current status of various new provisions related to: 
    • Police reforms 
    • Prison management 
    • Judicial processes 
    • Prosecution and forensic advancements 
  • Senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), including the Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir, Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), and Director General of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) participated in the discussions. 
• Implementation Deadline: 
  • The Union Minister directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to ensure full implementation of the three new criminal laws by April 2025. 
  • He emphasized optimal use of technology to facilitate speedy justice under the new legal framework. 
  • He also called for the urgent implementation of the ‘Trial in Absentia’ provision in the union territory. 
• Strengthening Police Accountability: 
  • He directed the administration to hold police officers accountable for expediting charge sheet filings. 
  • He instructed that every police station in Jammu and Kashmir should maximize the use of the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS). 
  • He mandated 100% training of investigating officers on the new legal provisions. 
• Monitoring Provisions on Terrorism and Organized Crime: 
  • The Union Minister emphasized that decisions regarding terrorism and organized crime cases should undergo thorough scrutiny at the Superintendent of Police (SP) level. 
  • He stressed the need for strict monitoring to prevent misuse of the provisions under the new laws. 
• Periodic Review of Implementation: 
  • He directed that the progress of implementation should be reviewed at three levels: 
    • Weekly by the Director General of Police (DGP) 
    • Fortnightly by the Chief Secretary 
    • Monthly by the Chief Minister 

 National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) 

• NAFIS, a nationwide database managed by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), swiftly stores crime-related fingerprints and assigns a unique 10-digit National Fingerprint Number (NFN) to apprehended criminals within 24 hours. 
  • NFN remains with the offender for life, connecting various crimes under different FIRs to the same ID. 
  • ID comprises state code (first two digits) and sequential number, specific to states. 
  • NAFIS swiftly identifies persons of interest, linking their names to warrants, warnings, and related criminal data in police reference systems. 
• It operates from New Delhi's Central Fingerprint Bureau(CFPB). 
• It aims to collect fingerprint data of criminals from all Indian states and Union Territories, offering a web-based platform for real-time uploading, tracking, and retrieval of information by law enforcement agencies.