True test of country's legal system lies in treatment of marginalised sections: J-K CM

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said the true test of the country's legal system lies in its treatment of the weaker sections of the society.

Abdullah was addressing a two-day north zone regional conference on reaffirming the constitutional vision of justice for defence personnel and tribals at SKICC.

Reaffirming his government's support to the legal services in delivering justice to the ''most marginalised'', he said that "we must remain committed to provide every institutional, financial, and technological support" necessary to transform constitutional promises into everyday realities.

''The true test of our legal system lies in its treatment of all the weaker sections of the society, including those who have defended us without question and those whose rights have too often gone unrecognised,'' Abdullah said.

This test must be met with humility, guarantee and resolve, he added.

The CM said the thematic focus of the conference on the rights and entitlements of defence personnel and tribal communities, touches upon two segments of the society -- the defence personnel who defend the Constitution with unflinching resolve, and the tribals who have long waited for its full embrace.

''It is our collective responsibility to ensure that the institutions of justice rise to meet their needs with speed, sensitivity, and strength,'' he said.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Abdullah remembered the fallen soldiers of the 1999 war and lauded their sacrifices.

''Today, on the solemn occasion of Vijay Diwas, let me begin by acknowledging the service and sacrifices of our defence personnel, both past and present. These men and women, many of whom belonged to J-K, served in remote, inhospitable terrain, with a quiet dignity and an enduring sense of duty,'' he said.

The CM said when faced with legal challenges -- be it service-related disputes, pension matters, or civil grievances, the defence personnel often encounter systemic barriers owing to geographic remoteness, immobile nature of their postings, and their distinct constraints of military life.

''These challenges definitely constitute other disabilities under Article 39A and must be addressed with the urgency and the compassion that they weren't. It is indefensible that those who risk their lives to uphold the Constitution should struggle to access the protections in guarantees,'' he asserted.

Abdullah said there is a pressing need to establish a robust coordination among legal service authorities, military legal cells, zila sainik boards, and regimental welfare offices.

The establishment of dedicated legal aid clinics in cantonments and in districts with significant ex-servicemen populations should be prioritised. Equally important is the need to ensure that families of defence personnel, particularly widows, aged parents, and dependent children, receive empathetic, expert and timely legal support, he said.

The CM said awareness must accompany access, and no soldier, or the family of a soldier, should be left adrift, unsure of the procedural avenues available to them.

''To this end, paralegal volunteers trained especially in military legal issues should be deployed in areas with high defence populations. Simultaneously, technology must be harnessed to democratise access through mobile apps, virtual consultation platforms, and user-friendly legal information portals,'' he said.

"Justice in our times must not mainly be available, it must also be accessible,'' Abdullah added.

Referring to the tribal communities in J-K, the chief minister said they are the custodians of rich cultural and ecological heritage, and the Union territory is home to several scheduled tribes who have preserved ancient traditions while making their way through difficult terrain.

He said his government has augmented its development efforts for the community, but development alone cannot substitute justice.

He demanded that paralegal volunteers be trained from within the tribal communities themselves to ensure that legal support is rendered in familiar idioms, dialects and cultural frameworks.

Abdullah said that for justice to be meaningful, it must reach every remote hamlet from Poonch to Kishtwar and from Rajouri to Karnah.

Simultaneously, a sensitive balance must be maintained between national security and the rights of tribal citizens. Many tribal regions are located in border belts on areas of heightened security oversight. However, law enforcement must not translate into legal disenfranchisement, he said.

He said the government has sanctioned the establishment of a dedicated law university with an initial allocation of Rs 50 crore, for which preparatory work is underway.

This university is envisioned as the centre of excellence, focused on legal instruction, research, and policy innovations, particularly in domains such as tribal rights, constitutional law, military justice, and environmental governance, he said.

It is an investment in cultivating an inclusive and capable ecosystem for future generations, the CM added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)