All central laws now applicable in new UTs of J-K, Ladakh

All central laws such as the anti-corruption act and provisions of the IPC will be applicable in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh from Thursday, according to a notification issued by the Union Home Ministry.

Some of these laws were until now not applicable to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, because of its special status under Article 370 and Article 35.

On Thursday, through a government notification, two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh came into existence, in line with the announcement on August 5 on the withdrawal of the special status of JK.

The government said in a notification that under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, "central laws, ordinance and rules which are applicable to the whole of India except the existing State of Jammu and Kashmir are to be made applicable to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh."

It said certain laws applicable to the state like the Jammu and Kashmir Bovine Breeding (Regulation of Production, Sale of Bovine Semen and Artificial Insemination) Act, 2018, the Jammu and Kashmir Single Window (Industrial Investment and Business Facilitation) Act, 2018, the Jammu and Kashmir Metropolitan Region Development Authorities Act, 2018 and the Jammu and Kashmir National Law University Act, 2018 "shall continue to apply" to the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh until altered, repealed or amended by a competent legislature or other competent authority.

The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) have also ceased to exist now from JK and Ladakh. Indian Penal Code provisions will now be applicable.

Central probe agencies like the National Investigation Agency and the Central Bureau of Investigation will now be able to take up investigations in the state on their own.

Also, the flag of Jammu and Kashmir state will now be abandoned and only the Indian tri-colour will be used for all official purposes in the two UTs.

-PTI

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