Additional powers to Lieutenant Governor: Amendment in Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act

Live Hindi News :- The Union Home Ministry has amended the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act to give additional powers to the Lieutenant Governor. Manoj Sinha has been serving as the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir since August 2020. Assembly elections are expected to be held in Jammu and Kashmir soon.

In such a situation, the Home Ministry has amended the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act (2019) and added new sections to give additional powers to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir in many government administrative functions. It will be known as 'Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Government Service Rules (Second Amendment) 2024'. It has been announced in the Government Gazette that it has come into force from last Friday.
Under the newly added sub-rule 2A, any scheme requiring prior approval of the Finance Department with regard to 'Police', 'Public Order', 'All India Services' and 'Anti-Corruption Bureau' will be placed before the Lieutenant Governor. The Governor cannot exercise the discretion of the Lieutenant Governor through the Chief Secretary.

Under the newly inserted Article 42A, proposals for appointment of chief counsel and other legal officers to assist in court proceedings will be submitted to the Department of Law, Justice and Legislative Affairs through the chief secretary and the chief minister for the approval of the lieutenant governor.
Under the new Rule 42B, “Appeals relating to refusal of leave or proceeding shall be filed with the Lieutenant Governor through the Principal Secretary, Law, Justice and Legislative Affairs.
Apart from this, changes have also been made in Section 43 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act so that matters related to prisons, Crime Investigation Directorate and Forensic Science Laboratory can be presented by the Chief Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor in the Home Office.
Proposals related to the appointment and transfer of All India Service officers and secretaries in government departments should also be placed before the Lieutenant Governor through the Chief Secretary. These amendments have been made under the major regulations published in the Gazette of India. These changes have been made to streamline administrative processes and ensure discretionary power of the Lieutenant Governor.

Even though a new government has been established in Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor has been given additional powers to ensure smooth running of the administration, law and order and legal matters.