Now anyone can buy land in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh
In September 2020, the Jammu and Kashmir administration amended the Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules, 2020.
Dal Lake in Kashmir | Photo Credit: IANS
Srinagar: In a significant move, a gazette notification has been issued, paving the way for any citizen of India to buy land in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The notification will be called the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Third Order, 2020.
The notification comes into force with immediate effect. The General Clauses Act, 1897 applies for the interpretation of this Order as it applies for the interpretation of laws in force in the territory of India, the order stated.
Reacting to the government's order, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah expressed unhappiness over the amendments. In a sarcastic comment, Abdullah claimed that "J&K is now up for sale".
"Unacceptable amendments to the land ownership laws of J&K. Even the tokenism of domicile has been done away with when purchasing non-agricultural land & transfer of agricultural land has been made easier. J&K is now up for sale & the poorer small landholding owners will suffer," Abdullah tweeted.
With the abrogation of Article 370, the act re-constituted the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories, 'Jammu and Kashmir' and 'Ladakh'.
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Earlier in September 2020, the Jammu and Kashmir administration amended the Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules, 2020.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 309 of the Constitution of India, read with Section 15 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation and Recruitment) Act, 2010, the administration hereby makes the following amendment in the Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules, 2020," read official notification.