Srinagar, July 1 (IANS) Jammu & Kashmir DGP, R.R. Swain said on Monday that the new criminal procedure code called the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provides a clear legal mandate to tackle cross-border terrorism in the union territory.

Addressing the implementation ceremony of the three criminal laws at the police headquarters here on Monday, the police chief said that the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in the context of Jammu and Kashmir provides a helpful definition of terrorism as it categorically and explicitly provides a legal mandate to tackle terrorism emanating from beyond the international borders.

He said that Nyaya Sanhita has a dedicated section to combat organised crime, ensuring that there is no room for unlawful activities orchestrated by syndicates that pose a grave threat to the internal security of the country.

“We are deeply aware that the responsibility now lies with us to ensure that these reforms achieve their full potential. It casts an onerous responsibility on the Jammu and Kashmir Police, which have been fighting terrorism for the last 35 years,” the senior police officer said.

Emphasising the importance of a stable environment for effective law-enforcement, the DGP said that ensuring public peace, security, and order through the rule of law presupposes that there shall be a semblance of peace and order so that investigators, witnesses, prosecutors, and trial courts are able to do their duty free from fear.

He added that it is in J&K where the new laws have become a booster and a set of great enablers in addition to investing heavily in quality training of our investigating officers. We have started to prioritise good investigations and have begun ranking districts on various law enforcement parameters to boost healthy competition.

“The new laws demand more from our existing resources, requiring the strengthening of our verticals, primarily through embedding law officers in our core investigative framework.

“We have requested the home department to strengthen us with 321 law officers at various levels,” he said, while explaining the need for additional resources and support.

The DGP said that while giving a clear mandate to deal with terrorism, the new laws have put greater responsibility, particularly in the utilisation of CCTVs, which now features real-time capabilities.

“It is now obligatory to maintain records of the arrested persons with grounds of arrest at both the police stations and district levels. These records must be digitally displayed, reinforcing transparency and accountability in law enforcement procedures. The new arrangement requires addressing challenges such as infrastructure investment, data security, and preventing technology misuse.

“Senior police officers are convinced that quality training of police personnel, such as in forensics, is inescapable. We would sincerely require to strengthen and add to our pool of personnel integral to our police station setup who would be forensic experts for handling digital evidence and devices,” he added.

Addressing Lt. Governor, Manoj Sinha, and Chief Secretary, Atul Dulloo, who were present during the ceremony, the police chief said: “I am indebted to all of you for the constant support and guidance given to us in fulfilling our requirements for the implementation of these laws.

“These new laws symbolise a paradigm shift in our approach to justice. They embody the country’s commitment to a system that is efficient and effective, and yet fair and transparent, reflective of the aspirations of a rising and aspiring India,” the police chief said.

–IANS

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Lucknow, July 1 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh government has initiated the process of installing solar-powered mast lighting systems across various districts.

A detailed action plan has been developed to boost solar energy in the state and the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) has initiated the process of selecting an agency through an e-tender to carry out the installation of 2,500 solar mast lighting systems in different districts.

According to a government spokesman, the chosen agency will be tasked with supplying, installing, testing, and commissioning these lights at a cost of Rs 29.78 crore within a four-month timeframe.

Additionally, UPNEDA is actively developing an IVR and dashboard monitoring system to support the land bank management portal and other initiatives.

According to the plan, Solar PV White LED high-mast light systems will be installed at selected sites across various districts of the state. These mast lights will utilise a lithium ferro phosphate battery system operating at 12.8 volts, and despite emitting white light, they will not produce ultraviolet rays.

They will produce light at a rate of 135 lumens per watt, ensuring effective illumination outdoors and reliable operation in temperatures ranging from zero to 60 degrees Celsius.

The agency responsible for installation will ensure both the quality of these lights and their operation and maintenance throughout the five-year warranty period.

Meanwhile, UPNEDA has also begun work on the Land Bank Management Application. In this sequence, responsibility has been delegated to the UP Electronics Corporation Limited, which will complete the work through its software development agency.

After completion of the work, UPNEDA will be able to complete all the tasks, like outline application management, regular compliance, documents and contracts assessment, and tenant and financial management through the land bank portal.

It will also serve as an effective platform for engaging with the stakeholders. This application will be based on a three-tier-based system.

UPNEDA is also creating a portal aimed at converting stubble into biofuel.

This platform will enable farmers to sell stubble, which UPNEDA will then process into biofuel.

Alongside this portal, UPNEDA is integrating a generative AI-powered IVR and dashboard monitoring system, which will effectively track and manage beneficiaries participating in the PM Surya Ghar Yojana and PM Kusum Yojana.

–IANS

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Kolkata, July 1 (IANS) It is high time West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose ends the ‘fuss and confusion’ over the swearing-in ceremony of two newly-elected Trinamool Congress legislators, Sayantika Banerjee and Reyat Houssen Sarkar, Assembly Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay said on Monday.

“I had requested the Governor to come to the Assembly and administer oath to the two Trinamool MLAs. I will personally receive him at the gate of the Assembly. If he has any problem in coming to the Assembly, as per the convention, he should allow the Speaker of the House to do the needful,” Bandopadhyay told mediapersons.

The Speaker also said that Sayantika Banerjee and Reyat Houssen Sarkar once again sent a written request to him on Monday, seeking completion of the oath ceremony at the earliest so that they can participate in the proceedings of the House as elected MLAs.

“They are members of the Assembly. So ideally their oath ceremony should take place in the Assembly. There is a precedent of the Governor coming to the Assembly and administering oath to the new MLAs. Current Vice President Jadeep Dhankhar did the same when he was the Governor of West Bengal. There is no question of ego here,” Bandopadhyay said.

Meanwhile, Sayantika Banerjee and Reyat Houssen Sarkar continued their sit-in demonstration in the Vidhan Sabha premises on Monday, insisting that the Governor should come to the Assembly and preside over the oath ceremony.

–IANS

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Jammu, July 1 (IANS) A special court in Jammu on Monday extended the police custody of senior Kashmiri advocate Mian Qayoom by 6 days.

Mian Qayoom, who was associated with the separatist Hurriyat Conference, was arrested by the State Investigation Agency (SIA) in Srinagar on June 25 for his alleged involvement in the murder conspiracy of advocate Babar Qadri in 2020.

Qadri was fatally shot at his residence in the Hawal area of Srinagar in September 2020.

During the court proceedings, the NIA court judge noted that the investigation is still at an initial stage and further remand of the accused is necessary for the progress of the case.

“After considering the rival submissions of the parties, a perusal of the latest entries in the case diary and giving thoughtful consideration to the matter, it is noticed that the investigation of the case is still at an initial stage. Therefore, his further detention in the custody of the police is imperative as the investigation agency is required to be afforded an opportunity to elicit all the possible information from the accused for further progress of the investigation,” Third Additional District and Sessions Judge (TADA/POTA), Jatinder Singh Jamwal said in his two-page order.

Qayoom pleaded his own case and opposed the extension of his police remand, citing his health condition and stating that he requires regular medical care, including insulin dosage.

Despite his pleas, the court granted the extension of his police remand until July 6 directing adequate medical care for the accused.

The prosecution had argued that the accused is not cooperating fully with the investigation and further detention is essential to gather more information related to the case.

The accused was brought to Jammu immediately after his arrest and produced before the court. The case was transferred from Srinagar to Jammu earlier this year.

Before his murder, Qadri used to frequently appear on television debates. He said before his death that Mian Qayoom was planning his murder. After his murder, police conducted searches at Mian Qayoom’s residences and two other lawyers in Srinagar, seizing various digital devices, bank statements and documents, as part of the ongoing probe.

Last September, the SIA announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for any information leading to a solution to Qadri’s murder. The police alleged the involvement of Saqib Manzoor, a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, in Qadri’s killing. That LeT commander was killed during a police encounter in Srinagar along with another militant commander in 2022.

–IANS

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Hyderabad, July 1 (IANS) Telangana High Court Judge Justice K. Surender has said that the implementation of three new criminal laws is a much sought-after initiative for an effective criminal justice system in tune with the changed crime scenario.

He feels that there are many new additions in Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS), in tune with the changes in society.

Addressing a workshop, ‘New Criminal Major Acts’ by the Forum for the Nationalist Thinkers, he noted that the new criminal laws replaced the 150-year-old Indian Penal Code (IPC).

He underlined the need for the legal community, particularly advocates, to integrate themselves with the challenges.

Justice Surender mentioned that unlike the IPC, sedition is no longer an offence under the BNS.

Instead, an offence under BNS is treason, which is covered in Section 152 as acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.

Causing death by negligence used to get two years’ punishment earlier but now it will be five to 10 years under BNS.

The High Court judge feels that it is still not the end of the day for IPC.

He suggested to lawyers, law students and other stakeholders not to throw away books or material of old laws as they would be required to know the old laws also till all cases registered under those laws were adjudicated.

Speaking on Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, Justice Madhavi Devi noted that it was imperative to introduce electronic communication as evidence in the backdrop of information technology becoming an integral part of even personal lives of people.

She said though amendments were made to the IE Act in the past, Covid-19 created situations where people could depend only on IT to execute certain tasks.

Additional Solicitor General B. Narasimha Sharma pointed out that 18 states had given their inputs on Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Indian Evidence Act before they were amended but there was criticism in the media that no debate was held on the matter.

He said it was an example of transition from an accused-centric approach to victim-participative and society-reformative stand in the criminal justice system.

The definition of organised crime was not adequate to cover the offences being indulged by gangs; hence, separate sections were included in the BNS, he said.

Asserting that 48 per cent of hit-and-run cases had resulted in fatalities, he said the punishment under such cases has been increased as per new laws to control the menace.

The punishment for such cases is reduced if the offender informs the police and takes the victim for treatment.

The ASG also noted the new laws took serious note of the offences against women and children.

The offences like mob-lynching have been included as grave crimes.

The punishment for organised crimes like economic offences and terrorist offences, which act against sovereignty and integrity of the country, have been increased as per new criminal laws.

Telangana Bar Council chairman A. Narasimha Reddy said the drastic change in the crime graph and its character has necessitated the introduction of three new criminal laws.

He claimed that these laws consider the implementation of justice through a victim-centric approach, increasing focus on national security and introducing digital, electronic evidence reviews.

–IANS

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