Minister for Rural Development & Panchayati Raj and Law & Justice, Abdul Haq today said that six women police stations have been established in the State, one each in Srinagar, Jammu, Baramulla, Anantnag, Udhampur and Rajouri district.While replying, on behalf of Home Minister, to a question of Dr. Shehnaz Ganai, the Minister said that during the last three years crime against women and children has shown a fluctuating trend which decrease in the year 2014 as compared to the year 2013 and slight increase during the year 2015 as compared to the year 2014.The Minister said that the High Court of J&K has designated various Courts presided over by the Additional District Judge as Special Courts for trial of offences relating to the women for the convenience and the speedy justice to the victims and their families at their door steps.The Minister further informed that the investigations in the cases relating to crime or atrocities against women are supervised by a senior police officer. SHOs of Police Stations have been directed to register cases after receiving the complaints regarding the incidents seems cognizable offences against women. He said the Government has also issued detailed guidelines relating to missing child, child in need of care and protection, juvenile in conflict with law and trafficked child. Amongst other guidelines, it has been made mandatory that every complaint and information with regard to missing of a child filed/received in a Police Station shall immediately be attended to and a proper First Information Report (FIR) registered in each complaint, he added.
Mr. Abdul Haq said that 11,091 cases related to crime against women and children have been registered during the last three years, for which 9,121 persons were arrested and 455 convicted. He said 121 cases were registered for crime against the juveniles, of which 98 were Challaned in Kashmir province, while as, in Jammu, 102 cases were registered and 92 Challaned.The Minister said that the Sexual Harassment of Women at Work Place (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 enacted by the Parliament in the year 2013 is also applicable in the State of J&K. He said all the District Magistrates of the State have been designated as District Officer to exercise powers within their respective jurisdiction as laid down in the Act. The General Administration Department has also established a Women Employee Grievance Cell in the Civil Secretariat, a Commissioner Secretary level officer is officer in-charge of the Cell, he added.The Minister further said that the Social Welfare Department has issued circular impressing upon all Administrative Secretaries and District Magistrates for constitution of Internal Complaints Committee in all subordinate offices and at District level respectively within one month . He said that the circular stipulates that in case of pendency after the period, strict administrative action will be recommended against the concerned.The Minister said that Home Department through its Communication dated 01-06-2016 has also instructed all the HoDs under its administrative control to constitute Internal Complaints Committee to enable Women employees to register their complaints for their timely disposal by the Committee.