The Bharatiya Janata Party has shifted its stance and supported a private member’s bill seeking creation of 16 new districts and two additional administrative divisions in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The proposal, moved by Peoples Democratic Party legislator Waheed Parra, aims to reorganise the territorial structure of Jammu and Kashmir to improve governance and administrative access, particularly in remote and hilly areas.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, the bill titled the Jammu and Kashmir Territorial Administrative Reorganisation Bill, 2026, proposes carving out eight new districts each in the Jammu and Kashmir regions, taking the total number of districts beyond the current 20. It also seeks two new divisions in the Jammu region — one covering areas including Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban, and another for Rajouri and Poonch. Jammu and Kashmir currently has two divisions — Jammu and Kashmir — with 10 districts each.
BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma said there is no harm in creating additional districts and divisions. Times of India reported that the bill should be tabled for debate in the Assembly. Sharma flagged objections only to the proposed names “Pir Panjal” and “Chenab Valley” for the new divisions. He added that the BJP would push for a third new division combining Udhampur and Reasi, which would take the total number of divisions in the Jammu region to four.
This marks a departure from the BJP’s earlier position. Previously, party spokesperson Altaf Thakur had described the bill as a conspiracy aimed at turning Jammu and Kashmir into “Greater Kashmir”. He had linked the proposal to what he called Pakistan’s 1990s design to merge certain Muslim-majority areas of Jammu with the Kashmir Valley.
The National Conference has remained non-committal on the bill. Party spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq called the proposal a “publicity stunt”. He pointed out that both the Union government and the Jammu and Kashmir administration have frozen administrative boundaries till 2027 through a 2025 order. Sadiq said the party supports regional empowerment but any reorganisation must be transparent, data-driven and aligned with census figures and the delimitation exercise.
The bill has sparked discussion on administrative decentralisation in Jammu and Kashmir. Proponents argue that smaller districts and additional divisions can bring governance closer to the people in far-flung areas, reduce workload on existing officers and improve delivery of public services. Critics, however, question the timing and intent behind the move, especially given the freeze on boundary changes.
Political observers note that the issue touches on long-standing demands for better regional balance between the Jammu and Kashmir regions. The Jammu region has often raised concerns about its larger geographical area compared to the Kashmir Valley while having the same number of districts.
The private member’s bill is yet to be taken up for discussion in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. Its introduction has already triggered fresh debates on how best to strengthen local administration without altering the broader political or security framework in the Union Territory.
❤️ Support Independent Journalism
Your contribution keeps our reporting free, fearless, and accessible to everyone.
Or make a one-time donation
Secure via Razorpay • 12 monthly payments • Cancel anytime before next cycle
(We don't allow anyone to copy content. For Copyright or Use of Content related questions, visit here.)
The Chenab Times News Desk
