Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Waheed Parra
Credit: Facebook/Waheed Parra
Srinagar: In a bid to secure property rights of citizens who have lived on state land for decades, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Waheed Parra has introduced an “anti-bulldozer” land bill in the Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory (UT) Legislative Assembly.
The bill, titled The Jammu and Kashmir (Regularisation and Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Public Lands) Bill, 2025, seeks to safeguard the land ownership of residents amid growing concerns over land dispossession.
The proposed legislation aims to prevent government-led demolitions of properties and to address the issue of unauthorized constructions on state land. The bill highlights the failure of successive governments and public offices to prevent illegal and unauthorized residential constructions on state land, Kacharia land, common land, and Shamilat land, as specified under Section 4 of the J&K Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976.
The draft bill reads, “The need of the hour is to take a compassionate decision in regularizing the said construction of residential houses across Jammu and Kashmir in the interest of public welfare.”
Para emphasized that the bill would not only protect people’s homes but also reduce the fear of eviction. He referred to it as an “anti-bulldozer” bill, designed to shield residents from harassment and forced evictions from land they have inhabited for decades.
The bill is set to be presented during the upcoming J&K assembly session, which begins on March 3 in Jammu. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has called on the ruling National Conference (NC), the opposition BJP, and other political parties to support the legislation.
This move comes amid ongoing land clearance operations by the administration, which have sparked fears of forced evictions among locals. The PDP has strongly opposed these actions, claiming they infringe on the fundamental rights of the people.
In January 2023, the J&K administration issued a circular directing the deputy commissioners of the Union Territory to remove “all encroachments on state land” to the extent of 100%. According to government estimates, around 22 lakh kanals (2.75 lakh acres) of land, roughly equivalent to 1,112.8 square kilometers, have been illegally encroached upon in Jammu and Kashmir.
The anti-encroachment drive was reportedly paused after a month, following intervention by the Union Home Ministry. Authorities were directed to issue notices and provide residents with a proper hearing before proceeding with demolitions.
The introduction of the bill is expected to spark significant debate in the legislative assembly, with stakeholders keen to weigh in on the sensitive issue of land rights.