In a move that has been anticipated for a very long time, the Centre has notified the new land laws for Jammu & Kashmir. In a gazette notification, the Union Home Ministry has notified on Monday (26 October),
The MHA notified what it calls UT of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Third Order, 2020 enabling any Indian to buy land in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu & Kashmir. This order comes into force with immediate effect.
“With immediate effect, the Acts mentioned in the Schedule to this Order shall, until repealed or amended by a competent Legislature or other competent authority, have effect, subject to the adaptations and modifications directed by the said Schedule, or if it is so directed, shall stand repealed,” read the order.
Also, 12 state laws that includes the Jammu and Kashmir Alienation Of Land Act (V of Samvat 1995), the Jammu and Kashmir Big Landed Estates Abolition Act (XVII Samvat 2007), The Jammu and Kashmir Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1956, the Jammu and Kashmir Consolidation Of Holdings Act, 1962, among others have been repealed as a whole.
This move comes at a time when Pakistan is observing “Kashmir Black Day”. Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and scion of Abdulla family Omar Abdulla took to social media to express his disappointment with the Centre’s move.
There’s much confusion about whether Ladakh has been included in the new land ownership order. I don’t know what would be worse: that Ladakh has also been betrayed by the Centre or that only J&K has been put up for sale, thus betraying the centre’s true intentions & bias
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 27, 2020
Senior journalist Aarti Tikoo Singh congratulated Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and said, “Thank you for opening up Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to the rest of India.”
Brilliant job @HMOIndia @AmitShah! Thank you for opening up Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to the rest of India. It will bring in investment, competition, jobs, free market & prosperity. Biggest beneficiaries–poor small land holding owners; feudalism of ruling class has ended today.
— Aarti Tikoo Singh (@AartiTikoo) October 27, 2020