After the removal of Article 370 only 2 people bought property in J&K: Govt. to Parliament

After the removal of Article 370 the administration has formulated a new definition of domicile for Jammu and Kashmir. According to the new definition, a person residing there for at least 15 years will be eligible to be called a permanent resident of the Union Territory.

On Tuesday, Lok Sabha was informed that only two persons have purchased as many properties in Jammu and Kashmir since August 2019, after the abrogation of Article 370 which ends the special status given to the erstwhile state.

Union Minister of State for Home Mr. Nityanand Rai’s written reply came in response to a question on whether many people from other states have purchased or shown interest to buy property in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.

“As per the information provided by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, two persons from outside Jammu and Kashmir have purchased two properties in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir since August 2019,” he said.

When asked if any obstacle or hardship is being faced by the government and people of other states while purchasing properties in Jammu and Kashmir, to that Rai said, “No instance has been reported to the government.”

The Central Government had abrogated Article 370 on August 5, 2019 which ends the special status given to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories.

According to the new definition, a person residing there for at least 15 years will be eligible to be a permanent resident of the Union Territory.

The government notification also extended domicile rights to central government employees who have served in the state for 10 years and also to their children.

Before the abrogation of Article 370, the defined residents were alone eligible to apply for jobs or own immovable property as the Jammu and Kashmir assembly was constitutionally empowered to define a resident of the erstwhile state.

However, the home ministry amended the 2010 legislation- the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralization and Recruitment Act) -last year by substituting the term “permanent residents” with “domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir”