Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 2: A consultative workshop under the ICSSR-funded major research project titled “Constitutional Reforms and Marginalized Groups: A Socio-Legal Analysis in Reorganized J&K” was held today in collaboration with the School of Legal Studies, Central University of Kashmir (CUK).
The event brought together legal scholars, social scientists, and practitioners to examine the empirical gap between constitutional promises and the lived realities of marginalized communities in the Union Territory since its reorganization.
The project director, Prof Arvind Jasrotia, Professor, Department of Law, University of Jammu, opened the proceedings by outlining the project’s broader contours and core research objectives. He noted that the need to systematically assess ground-level realities prompted the team to adopt a mixed-method social enquiry approach, including a large-scale quantitative survey across diverse regions of J&K, supplemented by qualitative insights from community interactions.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof Farooq Ahmed Mir, Head & Dean, Faculty of Law, School of Legal Studies, CUK, emphasized the constitutional framework underpinning the research. He drew attention to various Government schemes designed to uplift marginalized sections, while stressing the need for effective policy implementation to realize the transformative vision of the Constitution.
Bringing sociological and anthropological theoretical paradigms to the discussion, Dr Javid Rashid, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, University of Kashmir, referenced seminal scholarly works by Amartya Sen, Veena Das, Nancy Fraser, James C Scott, and Paulo Freire. He illustrated how their analytical frameworks resonate with the lived experiences of Scheduled Castes, tribal communities, women, and other marginalized groups in post-reorganization J&K.
As part of his session, an online survey was conducted, followed by a rigorous, evidence-based discussion on its emerging findings and preliminary data patterns.
Dr Gulafroz Jan, Assistant Professor, School of Legal Studies, CUK, extended the dialogue by identifying structural fault lines that widen the gulf between formal equality and substantive equality.
The workshop concluded with a formal vote of thanks proposed by Dr Bilal Ahmed, followed by the distribution of certificates to participating attendees.
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