In a significant development, the police administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh will no longer be referred to as ‘Jammu and Kashmir Police’ as the newly formed UT has been assigned its own police force insignias and nomenclature.
According to the reports, the earlier usage nomenclature and insignias of ‘Jammu and Kashmir’ police, will henceforth be discarded in Ladakh. From now on the police force in the Union Territory of Ladakh will be identified as ‘Ladakh Police’.
An order regarding the change in nomenclature was issued by Inspector General of Police, Ladakh, SS Khandare, on Saturday.
“Wherever the organisational name ‘J&K Police’ is written on any signboards, police vehicles, letterheads, office stationaries, seals and other official items of UT Police should be replaced by the word ‘LADAKH POLICE’ in capital letters henceforth”, the order read.
The order further stated, “No police officer/official shall put on president police collar insignia of J&K Police on uniform,” adding it has the approval of the competent authority.
Fufilment of long-term of Ladakh population
Months after the historic abolition of Article 370 and reorganization of the then state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, the long-term demand of Ladakhi people to bifurcate the administration of two UTs is now being fulfilled.
On August 5 last year, the Modi government, through historic legislation had abolished the archaic Article 370, paving way for the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories – Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir.
The government had passed Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill in the Parliament to give legal sanctity to the bifurcation. However, the state was officially bifurcated into the two union territories on October 31.
