JAMMU: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) private member Waheed Bara’s bill, which seeks to create 16 new districts and two divisions in Jammu and Kashmir, has stirred up a hornet’s nest with the ruling National Conference (NC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), slamming it as a “subversive bill” and accusing Bara of “toeing the line of ISI’s demand for Greater Kashmir”.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has recommended introduction and consideration of Bara’s bill called ‘Jammu and Kashmir Regional Administrative Reorganization Bill, 2026’, which seeks to establish a legal framework for the reorganization of administrative divisions, districts, sub-divisions and subdivisions across Jammu and Kashmir.
As per an official order issued under sub-section (1) of Section 36 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, Sinha agreed to introduce the bill in the Assembly.
The proposed legislation calls for the creation of new administrative divisions, including a Chenab division headquartered in Doda and a Pir Panjal division headquartered in Rajouri, in addition to the two already existing divisions (Jammu and Kashmir) and eight new districts each in Jammu and Kashmir. Currently, the two regions have 10 districts each.
“There is a need to reorganize the administrative units in Jammu and Kashmir after delimitation of constituencies and division of the state. There are differences on several issues, like Article 370 and statehood, but the people should get relief and the issues under our control should be worked on to alleviate the socio-economic conditions of the people,” Barra said.
“If two divisions are created in Doda and Rajouri, people will get some relief. Likewise, we feel that Bhaderwah, Akhnoor and Nowshera should also get district status as they are important and sensitive areas. We have seen how people suffered during Operation Sindoor. Tangdhar is another border district, which should become a district. The idea is that there should be decentralization of power and governance should reach the doorstep of the people,” he added.
Barra expressed his regret that the current government headed by Prime Minister Omar Abdullah was not interested in resolving the real issues facing the people.
The bill also proposes creation of several new districts in Kashmir region, including Tral-Awantipora Hill District, Ashmaqam-Pahalgam Hill District, Berwah, Sopore, Handwara, Gurez, Karnah Hill District and Noorabad Hill District.
In Jammu district, the bill proposes formation of new hill districts like Nowshera, Bhaderwah, Banihal, Thathri, Akhnoor, Bilawar, Kotranka and Mendhar for focused administrative planning.
Under the draft, the government will have the power to allocate areas to Jammu, Kashmir, Chenab or Pir Panjal districts through notifications, while ensuring geographical continuity, administrative suitability, social and cultural cohesion and balanced regional development.
However, North Carolina called it a “disruptive bill.”
Party spokesman Imran Nabi Dar said: “The real intent behind the bill is missing. It is the same PDP that rejected the recommendations of a committee headed by then Chief Secretary Khurshid Ganai on the new administrative units. At that time the PDP-BJP government was in place.”
“Through this bill, the PDP wants to sabotage the initiatives taken by the NC government to empower sub-districts. It is a pre-planned strategy. Which is not practically possible,” Dar said.
BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur said that the proposed bill betrays an evil agenda.
“It is nothing but following the line of the ISI, which wants to create ‘Greater Kashmir’. The bill proposes two divisions in Doda for Chenab Valley and in Rajouri for Pir Panjal. In the 1990s, the ISI strived to merge these Muslim-majority areas of Jammu with Kashmir and create Greater Kashmir,” Thakur said.
Why didn’t the PDP propose creating two more divisions in Kashmir for North, South and Central Kashmir? he asked.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather said: “The LG’s acceptance of a private member’s bill is routine. However, at the stage of introducing a private member’s bill, discussion is not allowed. Only the member who introduced the bill can be allowed to explain it. Normally, the government asks members not to press such bills and leave them to the government. But if the member presses them, the Speaker takes the voice vote route. In this case, the government’s position will be known only when the bill is tabled in the House of Representatives.”
The proposal has been submitted to the association secretariat for consideration during the current budget session, which will resume on Friday after a five-week hiatus. The first phase of the course was held from February 2 to 20.
The course is scheduled to conclude on April 4.
