SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today delivered the keynote address at the North Zone Regional Conference of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) on "Reaffirming the Constitutional Vision of Justice for Defence Personnel & Tribals"held at SKICC Srinagar.

This constitutionally significant conference focuses on advancing the rights and entitlements of defence personnel and tribal communities-two segments of society that, in the Chief Minister's words, "one defends the Constitution with unflinching resolve" and the other has "long waited for its full embrace."

Addressing the audience at SKICC, CM said that this Regional Conference was of great significance to deliberate and collectively reflect on the foundational promise of our Republic for realization of justice-social, economic, and political which is enshrined in the preamble and concretised in Article 39A of our Constitution, which enjoins the State to ensure that access to justice is not curtailed by economic or other disabilities.

Paying tribute to the service and sacrifices of defence personnel, many of whom hail from Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister emphasized the need for swift, compassionate legal redressal for those serving in inhospitable terrains under difficult circumstances. He highlighted the systemic legal barriers faced by defence personnel in matters such as pension disputes and service-related grievances owing to their geographic remoteness, and the distinct constraints of military life.

CM commended the J&K State Legal Services Authority for its initiative in amending its legal aid rules to expressly include serving and retired defence personnel. CM said that 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," CM said, adding that para-legal volunteers trained specifically 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. Justice, in our times, must not merely be available-it must be accessible.

On tribal communities, CM said that they were custodians of rich cultural and ecological heritage. Jammu & Kashmir is home to several Scheduled Tribes, including Gujjars, Bakarwals, Pahadis, Gaddis and Sippis, who have preserved ancient traditions while braving difficult terrains.

"Our Government has correspondingly augmented its developmental efforts. This year, the capital expenditure for tribal welfare has been raised to ₹98 crores. Six Eklavya Model Residential Schools have been made operational, 222 smart classrooms have been established in tribal-dominated schools, and healthcare services have been expanded through mobile medical units. The Tribal Research Institute has also been commissioned. These interventions reflect our commitment to combine dignity with development. Yet, development alone cannot substitute justice. Structural barriers to legal literacy, representation, and redressal continue to persist among tribal populations-owing to linguistic, cultural, and geographic factors.

CM noted that the Legal Services Authority has commendably operationalised 255 legal aid clinics, including in tribal villages and correctional institutions, supported by 527 panel lawyers and 561 para-legal volunteers.

CM expressed the hope that para-legal volunteers are trained from within tribal communities themselves. "This will ensure that legal support is rendered in familiar idioms, dialects, and cultural frameworks. We must also expand mobile legal aid vans, promote the use of Tele-Law platforms, and facilitate virtual hearings. Justice, if it is to be meaningful, must reach every remote hamlet-from Poonch to Kishtwar, from Rajouri to Karnah," he said.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also spoke about the sensitive balance that must be maintained between national security and the rights of tribal citizens. Many tribal regions are located in border belts or areas of heightened security oversight. However, law enforcement must not translate into legal disenfranchisement. Mechanisms for lodging complaints, accessing courts, and redressing grievances must be made transparent, timely, and responsive.

CM said that Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms also offer immense promise. Lok Adalats, mediation centres, and village-level panchayat forums, when duly sensitised, can provide swift, culturally respectful adjudication-especially in matters related to land rights, service entitlements, and local grievances. These models need to be institutionalised and resourced accordingly.

CM stated that capacity-building is essential for Judicial officers, legal aid lawyers, and field functionaries who must be trained in tribal customary law, military jurisprudence, and the ethics of constitutional service. Only through sustained cross-learning can our justice system be truly responsive to the diversity it is meant to serve.

Highlighting the Government's vision, the Chief Minister informed that his Government has sanctioned establishment of a dedicated Law University in Jammu and Kashmir with an initial allocation of ₹50 crore. This institution will focus on specialized legal education and research in fields such as tribal law, military justice, constitutional studies, and environmental law.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, the Chief Minister concluded, "A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." He reaffirmed the Government's unwavering support to Legal Services Authorities and their partners in delivering justice to the most marginalised

The conference was also addressed by Justice Surya Kant Judge of the Supreme Court of India and Executive Chairman NALSA; Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State Ministry of Law and Justice Government of India; Manoj Sinha Lieutenant Governor, Jammu and Kashmir; Justice Arun Palli, Chief Justice of High Court of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh; Justice Sanjeev Kumar Executive Chairman J&K Legal Services Authority; Justice Sindhu Sharma Executive Chairperson, Ladakh Legal Services Authority; Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command.

The conference was attended by the members of the Judiciary, Mian Altaf Member of Parliament, members of the Armed Forces, representatives of the Tribal Communities, Senior Officers of the Government of Jammu & Kashmir and other States, and members of the Legal Fraternity.