Imphal: The Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, today graced the inaugural function of the two-day Seminar on Criminal Justice Administration at the Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS), Imphal. Organised jointly by the Home Department, the Law & Legislative Affairs Department and the Manipur Judicial Academy, Imphal, the seminar aims to deliberate on the effective implementation of the new criminal laws and the evolving landscape of criminal justice administration.
Chief Minister of Manipur, Yumnam Khemchand Singh; Chief Justice of the High Court of Manipur, Justice M. Sundar; Judges of the High Court, Justice A. Bimol Singh and Justice A. Guneshwar Sharma; Ld. Advocate General, H Lenin Singh; along with senior officers of the civil administration, police, judiciary and members of the Bar, among others, attended the inaugural function.
Speaking at the inaugural function, the Governor stated that the administration of criminal justice is the cornerstone of a democratic society, safeguarding citizens’ rights, maintaining public order and reinforcing confidence in constitutional institutions. Referring to the implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), he said the new legal framework marked a historic shift from colonial-era laws to a modern, citizen-centric justice system that emphasises speedy justice, victims’ rights, technology and scientific investigation. He stressed that the success of these reforms depends on the coordinated functioning of the police, prosecution, judiciary and prison administration, and noted that strengthening these institutions is vital for fostering public confidence, maintaining peace and advancing development in Manipur.
The two-day seminar features technical sessions on key aspects of the new criminal justice framework, including chargesheet and investigation, trial in criminal cases, arrest and bail, and procedures and safeguards under Preventive Detention laws and the Prevention of Illicit Traffic (PIT) and the NDPS Act. The sessions are being led by eminent jurists and legal experts, including Justice Sonia Gokani, former Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court; Justice R. Basant, former Judge of the Kerala High Court and Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Justice Ashim Kumar Roy, former Judge of the Calcutta High Court; Justice N. Nirmal Kumar, Judge of the Madras High Court; Siddharth Luthra, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India and former Additional Solicitor General of India; Sonia Mathur, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India; and E.V. Chandrasekaran, Special Public Prosecutor for the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Madras High Court.
