SRINAGAR: All eyes are on the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s position on a private member’s bill introduced by a National Conference legislator seeking an extension for land leases currently held by occupants. The bill, listed among 33 proposed legislations for introduction in the Legislative Assembly, comes as a significant portion of leases, particularly those held by hoteliers in the popular tourist destination of Gulmarg, are set to expire.
The Chenab Times has learned that the bill, moved by Tanvir Sadiq, aims to counter the implications of the Jammu and Kashmir Land Grants Rules, 2022. These rules, enacted by the Lieutenant Governor-led administration, stipulate that most existing leases, with specific exceptions for residential leases, will not be renewed upon expiry. Instead, the land will be subject to fresh auction.
Legislative Focus on Lease Renewals
The bill has been positioned at serial number 12 among the private member bills scheduled for discussion. While private member bills typically face government opposition or are withdrawn by their proposers, the government’s response to Sadiq’s bill is anticipated to be closely monitored. The broader implication of the 2022 rules is that many long-standing leaseholders might lose their properties, requiring them to participate in auctions against potentially new bidders.
The Jammu and Kashmir Land Grants Rules, 2022, explicitly state that all leases, excluding subsisting or expired residential leases granted under previous regulations like the Jammu and Kashmir Land Grants Rules, 1960, or the Notified Area (All Development Authorities in the tourism sector) Land Grant Rules, 2007, will stand determined. Leases that expired or were determined before the commencement of the 2022 rules are also exempt from the non-renewal clause. However, all other leases are mandated to be put up for auction.
Historically, private member bills have rarely garnered sufficient support to be passed into law. The primary function of such bills is often to draw attention to specific issues and provoke discussion, rather than to enact immediate legislative change. The power to legislate predominantly rests with the government, which introduces and champions its own bills.
The current legislative session in Jammu and Kashmir has allocated two days for the consideration of private member bills. The outcome of the debate surrounding Tanvir Sadiq’s bill is expected to provide clarity on the administration’s approach to lease renewals and its receptiveness to legislative proposals aimed at mitigating the impact of the 2022 Land Grants Rules on existing leaseholders, many of whom have operated businesses and properties in the region for decades.
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The Chenab Times News Desk