Srinagar: In the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly session, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party will present the J&K Land Rights and Regularization Bill. The measure, also known as an anti-eviction and anti-bulldozer bill, aims to safeguard long-term land occupiers from arbitrary evictions and guarantee land security for families, institutions, and hoteliers, according to PDP President Mehbooba Mufti.
According to her, the government has not extended the leases of 60 hotel owners in Gulmarg hotels, and they risk eviction under the 2022 Land Grant Rules. Following the expiration of their lease agreements with the government, the Gulmarg Devender Authority seized and took control of two hotels last month. Following the implementation of the new land grant regulations by the LG administration two years prior, the hoteliers in Gulmarg also lobbied Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to extend their leases.
Mehbooba said that despite promises, the government led by the chief minister Omar Abdullah has taken no stand to safeguard people’s land rights. According to her, the law also aims to regularize the land holdings of individuals and organizations that have owned the property for the past 30 years but have not been given land rights. According to her, they will be shielded from government eviction if the assembly passes this bill into law.
Mehbooba has urged the government, led by the National Conference, which has 53 lawmakers, to support and pass the bill so that it becomes law and protects people from eviction. The PDP has three MLAs in the 90-member house. According to her, in addition to hotel owners in Gulmarg, a number of people who have leased government properties but whose leases have not been renewed run the possibility of being evicted and experiencing financial difficulties.
Prior to the government offices being largely moved to the Jammu Civil Secretariat, the assembly session for Jammu and Kashmir would start on October 23. The government was sworn in on October 8 of last year, and this will be the third session of the legislature.
