J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah rejects PDP's Land Regularisation Bill in assembly

In a firm stance during Tuesday's (October 28) assembly session, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah rejected the PDP's proposed Land Regularisation Bill. The decision comes despite the PDP's recent support for the National Conference in the Rajya Sabha elections, where the NC secured three of the four available seats from the Union Territory. PDP president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti sought the ruling party's support for bills her party planned to introduce in the assembly. However, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah rejected them, arguing that they would amount to legalizing the illegal occupation of state land.

Specifically, Abdullah rejected a bill moved by PDP MLA Waheed ur Rehman Para, which sought to grant proprietary rights over state and Kacharai (grazing) lands. He said that the government could not legitimise unlawful encroachments on public property. Abdullah urged Para to withdraw the bill, emphasizing that it contravened existing laws and land regulations. "We cannot legalise illegal occupation of state land,” said Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

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However, PDP MLA Waheed ur Rehman Para refused to withdraw the bill, accusing the government of rejecting it for political motives. “You're opposing it to align with your own policies—because the BJP labels it 'land jihad.' Don't fear them,” he challenged. “Those who have lived in these homes for the past twenty years must be regularized and granted ownership documents. After August 5, 2019, residents began receiving eviction notices and were ordered to vacate. We seek support to formalize these properties—this bill is about securing the homes and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” said Waheed Para, PDP MLA.

Para insisted the bill was intended to grant relief to families who have lived on or cultivated these lands for decades, while the government countered that established legal procedures could not be circumvented. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reiterated that land rights must be addressed through lawful channels alone, and the government would not endorse any measure that risked encouraging further encroachments on state property.