12.5 lakh domicile certificates issued are to apply for jobs: J&K administration

The PRC holders who got domicile certificates also include migrant Kashmiri Pandits

The Jammu and Kashmir administration, on Tuesday, said that so far, they have issued 12.5 lakh domicile certificates to people and claimed that possession of this document does not entitle a person to buy land in the UT. Of all certificates made, 11,398 have been issued to West Pakistan refugees and 12,340 to registered migrants.

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“Of the 12.5 lakh certificates issued so far, almost 99% have been issued to erstwhile PRC (permanent resident certificate) holders; in addition, 11,398 West Pakistan refugees, 415 members of Valmiki community, 10 members of Gorkha community, and 12,340 registered migrants have also received domicile certificates,” said principal secretary (information) and government spokesperson Rohit Kansal.

“The PRC holders who got domicile certificates also include migrant Kashmiri Pandits,” he said.

After J&K’s special status was revoked and the region was split into two UTs in August last year, in May, the government notified Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules, 2020, which specify conditions and process of obtaining documents required for applying for jobs and avail other privileges restricted to residents.

Everyone who are residing in the UT for 15 years or have studied here for seven years and appeared in Class 10 or 12 exam in an educational institution in the region, and their children, are eligible for domicile.

“First we had given 15 days time to issue the certificates, but then we reduced it to five days for PRC holders as no further enquiry is needed to issue domicile certificates to them. The issuance will be further accelerated and it will be monitored to ensure that pendency rate is lowest,” he said.

Pawan Kotwal, principal secretary (revenue), said that there have been 25,000 rejections while issuing domicile certificates.

The regional parties of J&K have raised concerns saying the changes brought in after August 2019 decisions are meant to slowly change the demography of J&K.