The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir has approved the introduction of a private member’s bill that seeks to create new administrative divisions and districts across the Union Territory, including a dedicated Chenab Division headquartered in Doda and a Pir Panjal Division headquartered in Rajouri.
The proposed legislation aims to address long-standing administrative challenges posed by vast geographical areas, difficult terrain and regional imbalances through a transparent statutory framework for reorganisation.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has recommended the introduction and consideration of the private member bill moved by PDP legislator Waheed-ur-Rehman Para. The approval was granted in pursuance of sub-section (1) of Section 36 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, for the bill titled “the Jammu and Kashmir Territorial Administrative Reorganization Bill, 2026”.
The bill proposes the creation of new administrative divisions, including the Chenab Division with headquarters in Doda and the Pir Panjal Division with headquarters in Rajouri, in addition to the existing Jammu and Kashmir divisions. It also suggests several new districts.
In the Kashmir division, the proposed new units include the Tral-Awantipora hill district, Ashmuqam-Pahalgam hill district, Beerwah, Sopore, Handwara, Gurez, Tangdhar-Karnah hill district and the Norabad hill district. In the Jammu division, the bill suggests the formation of new hill districts such as Nowshera, Bhaderwah, Banihal, Thathri, Akhnoor, Billawar, Kotranka and Mendhar.
The draft legislation states that the government will have the power to assign districts to the Jammu, Kashmir, Chenab or Pir Panjal divisions through notifications. Such assignments would take into account geographical continuity, administrative convenience, socio-cultural cohesion and balanced regional development.
The objective of the bill is to tackle administrative difficulties arising from large areas and tough terrains while ensuring decentralised governance and improved public service delivery. It seeks to provide a clear legislative mechanism for the creation and reorganisation of administrative units, sub-divisions and tehsils.
The proposal has been submitted to the Assembly Secretariat for consideration during the ongoing Budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. The session is scheduled to resume on March 27 after a five-week recess following its first leg from February 2 to 20. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had presented the Budget for 2026-27 on February 6.
The House is set to conclude the session on April 4. According to the notified business schedule, March 30 and April 1 have been earmarked for private members’ bills, while March 31 and April 2 are reserved for private members’ resolutions.
This development comes as the Union Territory continues to strengthen its administrative structure following the reorganisation in 2019. The bill, if passed, could lead to significant changes in the governance architecture, particularly benefiting regions with distinct geographical and developmental needs, including areas in the Chenab Valley.
People from the Chenab region, often referred to as Chenabi, have long highlighted the challenges of accessing services from distant headquarters. The proposed Chenab Division with its headquarters in Doda is seen as a step towards bringing administration closer to the people in these hilly and remote terrains.
The bill underscores the need for focused administrative planning to promote balanced regional development across Jammu and Kashmir. Its introduction in the Assembly will allow legislators to debate the merits of the proposed reorganisation and its potential impact on governance and service delivery in the Union Territory.
The Chenab Times News Desk