New Delhi, Mar 31 (IANS): The President of India on Wednesday empowered the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh to exercise the powers and functions exercised by the state government under the Family Courts Act, 1984 (66 of 1984).

"In pursuance of Clausc (1) of Article 239 of the Constitution, the President hereby directs that the Lieutenant Governor of the Union territory of Ladakh shall, subject to the control of the President and until further orders, exercise the powers and discharge the functions of the state govermment under the Family Courts Act, 1984 (66 of 1984) within the said Union Territory," read a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The Family Courts Act, 1984 provides for the establishment of family courts with a view to promote conciliation in, and secure speedy settlement of disputes relating to marriage and family affairs and matters connected to them.

In November last year, President Ram Nath Kovind had empowered the Ladakh LG to exercise the powers and functions exercised by the state government under The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.

The Family Courts Act, 1984 is among 37 central laws which the Centre had in March last year ordered through a notification for adaptation in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (Department of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Affairs) was published in the Gazette of India.

The order for the implementation of 37 central laws is called the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Order, 2020.

The provisions came into force with immediate effect in the UT of J&K which came into being on October 31, 2019 after the Centre on August 5, 2019 announced the abrogation of Article 370 that granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The state was then bifurcated into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.