The Government of India has ordered that four more state laws will be applicable to the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh forthwith.
The President of India, under the Jammu and Kashmir Re-organisation (removal of difficulties) order 2019, has made four more laws applicable to both the UTs, which came into existence on October 31.
Of them, three laws were enacted during the last year’s Governor rule when powers of the state legislature were vested with the Governor.
With this order, the number of state laws applicable to both the UTs has reached 177 as 173 such laws were already protected by the Parliament when it gave its nod for re-organisation of the state.
The four laws protected in fresh action by the Centre also includes the legal framework for setting up of National Law University in Jammu & Kashmir. Cleared by the Legislative Assembly in last year’s budget session, the proposal faced roadblocks from Raj Bhavan when NN Vohra was Governor of the State.
Sources said that before his exit from the State in August 2018, Vohra repeatedly raised queries on the legislation. After being pushed into cold storage for more than one year, the bill recently got assent of Raj Bhavan. The second key legislation deals with establishment of two metropolitan region development authorities for State’s twin capitals.
This legislation was also enacted during last year’s Governor rule before the erstwhile State came under President’s rule on December 19. As outlined in the Act, these bodies were set-up for coordinating, supervising and executing development plans for metropolitan regions of the State.
Sources told KNO that after commencement of the law, the government established two metropolitan region development authorities and also appointed their Chief Executive Officers. As per the laws, these bodies shall comprise of Chief Minister, Minister for Housing & Urban Development Department, Minister of State for Housing & Urban Development Department, MLAs, bureaucrats, representatives of urban bodies and experts from different fields including urban infrastructure, town planning.
The other two laws protected include Jammu & Kashmir Single Window (Industrial Investment and Business Facilitation) Act and J&K Bovine Breeding ( Regulation of Production, Sale of Bovine Semen and Artificial Insemination) Act. Both these laws were also enacted during Governor’s rule in 2018. It is worthwhile to mention here that re-organisation of J&K has led to massive changes into erstwhile State’s legal framework. (KNO)