All eyes on Tanvir Sadiq’s Land Grants Bill
Srinagar, Mar 23: As many as 72 private member bills are scheduled to be listed for introduction in the second leg of the budget session starting on March 27. However, the chances of these bills being passed remain bleak, given that such legislations have rarely been approved in J&K’s legislative history.
As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), despite politicking over these bills, records show that they have failed to move beyond the stage of introduction, leaving most proposals without legislative success. Since 1980, only three private member bills have been cleared by the legislature of the erstwhile state.
Two of those were The Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Permit for Resettlement in (or Permanent Return to) the State Act, 1982 and The Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 2007, both moved by Abdul Rahim Rather, Speaker of the J&K Assembly. The third was the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature Members Pension (Amendment) Act, 2014, jointly moved by NC and PDP MLAs to enhance the pension of former legislators.
Among the 72 private member bills to be listed in this session, the spotlight is on NC MLA Tanvir Sadiq’s proposal to amend the Land Grants Act, a bill addressing the issue of expired leases. Sources have not ruled out the possibility of MLAs from the ruling party and its allies supporting the bill in the House. The proposal has already evoked responses from smaller opposition parties such as the PDP and the PC.
However, it is not certain that the bill will come up for introduction- the stage where the government decides whether to allow bill for consideration before it proceeds to other stages. This uncertainty arises because the bill is likely to be listed at serial number 27. Normally, 10 to 12 bills are taken up each day when private member bills are scheduled.
Other significant private member bills include four separate proposals on liquor ban, submitted by Ali Muhammad Sagar, Mir Muhammad Fayaz, Sheikh Khursheed, and Ahsan Pardesi.Besides, three bills seeking regularisation of daily wagers have been submitted by M.Y. Tarigami (CPI(M)), Waheed-ur-Rehman Para (PDP), and Devinder Manyal (BJP).
NC MLA Bashir Ahmad Veeri’s bill for amendment to the Jammu & Kashmir Reservation Act could be taken up for introduction in the House, given that it is likely to be listed at serial number 16.
A bill submitted by BJP MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia seeking ownership rights for occupants of Evacuee property could also come up for introduction in the House.
NC MLA from Pahalgam, Altaf Ahmad Wani, has submitted a bill for the protection of land and employment rights of the domiciles of the Union Territory. Its chances of coming up for introduction in the House during this session is bleak.
PDP MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para has submitted a bill for the creation of separate divisions for Chenab and Pir Panchal Valley and the creation of new districts. The bill is unlikely to come up for introduction in the House before 2028, given that it is likely to be listed at the tail end of the business.
Similarly, the National Law University Bill submitted by RS Pathania is also likely to be listed at the tail end of the business.
Private member bills are listed in business of the House according to the date their notices are received. Since 46 such bills of 2025 are pending for introduction, they will be given priority in the day’s business as per the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the J&K Legislative Assembly. (KNO)
