National Law University to start functioning in Kashmir valley from April next year: Omar

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made these remarks while speaking on a private member resolution moved by Congress MLA from Bandipora, Nizam-Ud-Din Bhat. (File)

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the National Law University (NLU) will start functioning in the valley from April next year.

The chief minister made these remarks while speaking on a private member resolution moved by Congress MLA from Bandipora, Nizam-Ud-Din Bhat.

"This House unanimously resolves to impress upon Government to initiate process of establishing the Jammu and Kashmir National Law University at Srinagar, without any further delay, as the funds earmarked for the first phase have already been provided," Bhat's resolution read.

The resolution was passed by the assembly by voice vote after the chief minister said his government has no objections to it. Abdullah said the government is working on expanding the education infrastructure.

"We want to expand it and we are trying," he said.

About the location for the NLU, Abdullah said while he will not go into where it will be established as long as it comes to J&K, the proposal will be discussed with the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh High Court, and the J&K chief secretary.

"We have to set it up and we will spend the money, but others also have a role in it. I have not come across any pressure from outside on where to locate it. But, we are not immediately building a campus. We will have to start in a rented accommodation to start admission and classes," he said.

The chief minister said the university will start functioning from April next year from Ompora in central Kashmir's Budgam district where previously the government had decided to set up a software technological park but the Air Force objected to it on the grounds that the antenna at the park can interfere with their communication system.

"That campus is vacant. If everything goes well, by April next fiscal we should be able to start classes in rented accommodation," he said, adding "if we cannot find a better location, we would start the National Law University at that place".

The CM said when the NLU starts functioning, the students of J-K who are forced to study law outside, can do that within the UT. On the allegations on the progress on the NLU being slow, Abdullah said the truth is that the work is constantly going on in the civil secretariat.

"If we give details on a daily basis, you will get tired of it," he added.