A bill introduced in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly to give land ownership rights to long-term residents living on government land was rejected by both the ruling National Conference and opposition BJP. The proposal, brought by Peoples Democratic Party legislator Waheed Para, aimed to regularize properties for State subjects occupying government land for over 20 years. Para called it an anti-bulldozer bill meant to protect local residents. However, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah opposed it, claiming it would benefit the land mafia and illegal encroachers. The BJP termed it land jihad and praised the CM for blocking it. The bill followed last year's demolition drives by the Lt Governor Administration against alleged encroachment, which sparked protests across Kashmir and Jammu. It also comes as leases for 55 of 59 hotels in Gulmarg expired, now facing public auction. Land remains a sensitive issue in J&K since the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 removed restrictions on non-residents owning property. The PDP defended the bill, saying it explicitly protected only original State subjects and helped the landless poor.
What Did the Proposed Bill Include?
Para introduced the Jammu and Kashmir (Regularization and Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Public Land) Bill as a private member's legislation. It invoked Article 21 of the Constitution, guaranteeing the right to shelter. The bill proposed one-time ownership rights only for holders of Permanent Resident Certificates issued before Article 370's abrogation. Beneficiaries needed continuous physical possession for over 20 years, excluding tenants. Applicants could not own other property in their name or family members' names. Ownership required payment of development charges not exceeding one-third of the circle rate, with exemptions for economically weaker sections, below-poverty-line families, and families of fallen Army personnel or police officers. The bill explicitly excluded commercial buildings, regularizing only residential land.
Why Did Leaders Oppose and Defend the Bill?
Chief Minister Abdullah argued the bill lacked safeguards to identify genuine J&K residents and would help illegal encroachers and the land mafia. BJP's Sunil Sharma claimed it aimed to help those changing demography through land encroachment. Para rejected these allegations, emphasizing the bill explicitly limited benefits to original State subjects with valid certificates. He questioned how measures for the landless could be opposed by the NC, which historically championed Land to the Tiller reforms under Sheikh Abdullah. NC MLA Tanvir Sadiq defended his party's opposition, claiming the bill could benefit anyone under changed domicile rules and alleged it was designed to help PDP associates who grabbed land. Land ownership remains deeply emotional since 2019 changes allowed any Indian citizen to lease J&K land.
Source: Link