General News Archives | Page 11 of 359

631 Non-Residents Bought 386 Kanals in J&K Since 2019 — ₹130 Crore; What It Means

November 1, 2025November 1, 2025 Editor

Land Allotment in Jammu & Kashmir: 378 Non-Residents Acquire Property Since Article 370 Abrogation

Post-Article 370 Land Transactions: Jammu Leads in Non-Resident Allotments, Kashmir Trails By: Javid Amin | 31 October 2025 In a significant shift in land-ownership patterns in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), government data shows that 631 non-residents—i.e., persons not originally domiciled in J&K—have acquired land totaling over ₹130 crore since the abrogation of Article 370 and the region’s re-organisation in 2019. Of this figure, 378 non-residents purchased land in the Jammu region (212 kanal, 13 marla, 128 sq ft; valued at ~₹90.48 crore), and 253 non-residents in…

J&K Statehood Showdown — Omar Abdullah Vs Manoj Sinha: Fault-Lines in the Union Territory’s Governance

November 1, 2025 Editor

J&K Statehood Clash | Omar Abdullah vs Manoj Sinha | Jammu & Kashmir Governance Rift By: Javid Amin | 31 October 2025 In the political landscape of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), a growing and increasingly public rift has emerged between two of the region’s most significant figures: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. What might once have been a behind-the-scenes disagreement has now moved into full view, centred on one of the region’s most charged issues — the restoration of full statehood. On the occasion of the…

J&K Assembly Storm: Speaker Disallows Flood-Rehab Discussion, BJP MLAs Stage Walkout | Governance & Disaster Response

October 31, 2025 Editor

During the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly’s autumn session on October 30, 2025, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather disallowed an adjournment motion on flood rehabilitation, prompting BJP MLAs to stage a walkout in protest. By: Javid Amin | 30 October 2025 On October 30, 2025, during the autumn session of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly in Srinagar, tensions mounted sharply when the Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, declined to admit an adjournment motion by BJP MLAs pressing for a discussion on the August floods that hit the Jammu region. The BJP legislators,…

Mehbooba Mufti Seeks Repatriation of J&K Under-trial Prisoners from Outside Jails | Rights, Justice & Institutional Reform

October 31, 2025 Editor

Mehbooba Mufti has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Jammu & Kashmir High Court seeking the repatriation of undertrial prisoners from jails outside the Union Territory back to J&K. She argues this prolonged detention violates their constitutional rights. By: Javid Amin | 30 October 2025 In a significant legal move that touches at the intersection of criminal justice, human rights, and institutional reform in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), former Chief Minister and opposition leader Mehbooba Mufti has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in…

No Title for Trespass: J&K CM Blocks Land Regularisation Bill

October 29, 2025 Editor

Landlines and Lifelines: Who Owns Kashmir’s Shelter Rights? By: Javid Amin | 28 October 2025 In the autumn session of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly (J&K LA), a private member’s bill stirred a vortex of legal, political and human-rights issues. Moved by Waheed ur Rehman Para of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the legislation sought to grant ownership rights to residents who have built homes on government land—State land, ‘kacharai’ land, common land and ‘shamilat’ land.But the bill was rejected by the ruling coalition in the Assembly, led by…

The Push for Hindi: How Jammu & Kashmir’s Language Policy is Redrawing Cultural Lines

October 29, 2025 Editor

The Policy Shift By: Javid Amin | 28 October 2025 The Jammu & Kashmir government is taking firm steps to increase the use of Hindi in official correspondence and administration, signaling a new linguistic direction in the Union Territory’s governance framework. This move aligns with the Jammu & Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020, which recognizes Hindi as one of the five official languages alongside Urdu, Kashmiri, Dogri, and English. While officials describe it as a push for inclusivity and modernization, linguists and cultural observers warn that the growing preference for…

Free Power Only After Rooftop Solar Panel Installation in J&K – Why Linking the Two Makes Sense

October 29, 2025 Editor

In a bold policy move, the administration of the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) region has announced that the promised 200 units of free electricity for the poorest households will be delivered only after rooftop solar panel installation on those homes. According to official responses in the local Assembly, the benefit will apply exclusively to families under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) category—some 2.22 lakh such families. The installation will be under the national scheme PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSG) via its Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA)/RESCO model. On the face…

‘Vote Chori!’ Slogans Rock J&K Assembly as NC Accuses BJP of Rajya Sabha Manipulation

October 28, 2025 Editor

National Conference alleges cross-voting and ballot tampering as BJP secures an unexpected Rajya Sabha seat; Assembly witnesses unprecedented uproar. By: Javid Amin | 27 October 2025 The Flashpoint High drama gripped the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday as National Conference (NC) legislators stormed the well of the House, shouting “Vote chor! Vote chor!”—accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of manipulating the recent Rajya Sabha elections through cross-voting and invalid ballots. The storm erupted during Question Hour, when Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary rose to comment on the Rajya…

Rights, Representation, and Repression: J&K Assembly Faces Dual Crisis Over PSA and Quotas

October 28, 2025 Editor

Legislators clash over Mehraj Malik’s PSA detention and renewed demands for reservation reform — Speaker urges restraint as opposition slams “politicization” of governance. By: Javid Amin | 27 October 2025 Mehraj Malik’s Detention Triggers Political Storm The Autumn Session of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly opened to fiery scenes on Monday, as opposition benches erupted over the detention of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act (PSA). National Conference (NC) MLA Sajjad Shaheen, representing Banihal, demanded an urgent, one-hour discussion on the issue, calling…

Sonu Nigam Azaan Controversy Resurfaces at Srinagar Concert – Low Turnout and Public Backlash

October 27, 2025 Editor

Low Turnout at Sonu Nigam’s Srinagar Concert as Past ‘Azaan’ Remarks Resurface By: Javid Amin | 26 October 2025 A Musical Evening That Turned Into a Reflection of Memory and Sentiment What was envisioned as a landmark cultural evening by the banks of Dal Lake turned into a quiet reflection on the complexities of faith, art, and public memory. Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam, once among India’s most celebrated voices, performed at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) — but the sight that met the organizers was sobering. Rows of empty…