SRINAGAR, JULY 28 — In a powerful reaffirmation of the ongoing legal and constitutional transformation in the region, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Sunday that 890 Central laws have now been made applicable in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370.
Addressing a gathering of legal professionals, students, and public representatives in Srinagar, LG Sinha called the move a “monumental step toward legal integration, equity, and justice for all.” He said the extension of Central laws has filled a long-standing vacuum in the legal rights and protections available to the people of J&K.
“For decades, the people of Jammu and Kashmir were denied the full benefits of the Indian Constitution. Today, after the abrogation of Article 370, every citizen of this Union Territory enjoys equal access to justice under the law,” LG Sinha said.
He also announced that the administration is committed to providing legal aid to members of the Armed Forces, Scheduled Tribes, marginalised communities, and those living in remote and conflict-affected areas of the Union Territory.
“We must ensure that justice reaches the doorstep of the last person in the queue. Legal rights are not a privilege for the few, but a guarantee for the many,” he added.
The LG highlighted efforts to strengthen legal infrastructure in rural J&K, with new legal aid centres, mobile legal clinics, and the promotion of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to reduce the burden on courts.
Legal experts attending the event welcomed the reforms, especially the application of important Central laws like the Right to Education Act, National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, Prevention of Atrocities Act, and the Juvenile Justice Act, which were previously not in force in the region.
Many believe these steps are gradually contributing to rule of law, social justice, and constitutional equality in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly for women, minorities, and the economically weaker sections.
