Departments directed to submit draft bills early for legal vetting, compliance made mandatory
WAJAHAT SHABIR
SRINAGAR: Ahead of the 2025 Budget Session, the Jammu and Kashmir government has laid out strict guidelines for departments to follow when submitting legislative proposals.
The Department of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs has called for draft Bills and related documents to be submitted well in advance to allow sufficient time for legal vetting.
A circular in this regard has been issued by the Department Of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
With a view to ensure proper examination of the proposals for introduction in the Legislative Assembly of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir during the ensuing Budget Session commencing from 3rd March 2025, a reasonable time is required by the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, it reads.
It is, therefore, necessary that such draft bills and other legislative proposals, which are intended to be introduced in the ensuing Budget Session and require legal vetting, be referred to this department much before the commencement of the Budget Session. The attention of all Departments is also drawn towards Part-C of the Transaction of the Business of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Rules, 2019, which deals with the procedure for dealing with proposals for initiating legislation and consultation of the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the circular reads.
In some Acts, the rule-making provisions require that the rules and notifications issued thereunder are to be laid before the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Departments are requested to ensure that such rules/notifications, if any, issued under the Acts administered by the respective departments, are laid before the Legislative Assembly during the Budget Session to fulfil the requirements of the law.
Moreover, such proposals that require the recommendation of the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir in terms of Section 36 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019 should invariably be submitted at least 21 days in advance to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat.
All the Financial Commissioners (Additional Chief Secretaries)/Principal Secretaries/Commissioners/Secretaries to the Government are also requested to ensure that the prescribed procedure for dealing with Questions and other legislative business is STRICTLY OBSERVED.
The Administrative Secretaries to the Government/Head of the Departments should also remain present in the House whenever issues pertaining to their departments come up for discussion.
