Ziraat Times News Desk
SRINAGAR – In a significant legislative development, the Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir government has granted permission for the introduction of a Private Member’s Bill aimed at restoring the Jammu and Kashmir Land Grants Act, 1960, to its original form.
The bill, titled “L.A. Private Members’ Bill No. 35 of 2025,” is set to be moved by National Conference leader Tanvir Sadiq. The move marks a direct effort by the current administration to roll back land regulation changes implemented following the abrogation of Article 370.
Key Objectives of the Proposed Bill
The legislative submission outlines three primary goals intended to address local concerns regarding land ownership and usage:
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Restoration of Original Laws: To revert the Land Grants Act and its framed rules to the status they held prior to the introduction of the Jammu and Kashmir Land Grant Rules, 2022.
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Protection of Leaseholders: To safeguard the legal rights of existing occupants and leaseholders whose status became uncertain under the 2022 regulations.
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Public Interest Mandate: To ensure that state-owned and public land is utilized primarily for the benefit and interests of the permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir.
Context: The 2022 Rule Change
The 2022 Land Grant Rules, introduced during the Union Territory’s transition period, shifted the landscape of land tenure in the region. Most notably, they mandated that all outgoing leaseholders (whose leases had expired) must handover the land to the government, which would then re-auction the properties.
Critics of the 2022 rules argued that the policy sidelined local businesses and residents in favor of outside investors. By permitting Mr. Sadiq to introduce this bill, the Abdullah government is signaling a fulfillment of its campaign promise to prioritize “land and job rights” for locals.
“The aim is to ensure that public land serves the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and to protect those who have held these leases for generations,” the bill’s introduction reads.
