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PDP to bring ‘anti-bulldozer bill’ in J&K assembly: Mehbooba Mufti

The Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly is going to meet for the autumn session from October 23 in Srinagar

Published on: Oct 9, 2025, 06:42:10 IST
By , Srinagar
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Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said that her party has submitted an anti-land eviction bill -- or what the party called anti-bulldozer bill, to be brought up in the upcoming session of J&K assembly.

Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti (File)
Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti (File)

The Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly is going to meet for the autumn session from October 23 in Srinagar.

Mufti announced that the party has submitted The Jammu and Kashmir Land Rights and Regularisation Bill, 2025, calling it the Anti-Bulldozer Bill. “The proposed legislation aims to regularise land holdings of individuals, families, and institutions who have been in continuous possession of land for over 30 years, thereby securing ownership rights, preventing arbitrary evictions, and ensuring social and economic stability across Jammu and Kashmir,” she said in a statement.

Mufti stated that PDP MLAs have already submitted the Bill for inclusion in the upcoming assembly session. The party has three MLAs in Kashmir.

She added the government should either adopt and implement these bills or bring in their own legislation which will be duly supported by the party.

Highlighting the ongoing land and lease issues in Gulmarg and other parts of Kashmir, Mufti said that the Land Grant Rules, 2022, have ended the renewal of old leases, putting dozens of hotels operating on expired leases at risk of eviction or government takeover through auction.

The party said that nearly 60 hotels in Gulmarg, including heritage establishments such as Nedous and Highlands Park, have received takeover notices from the Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA). “Hoteliers who have invested heavily now face severe financial distress, legal uncertainty, and threats to livelihoods,” she said.

She further said that the absence of a clear government policy on lease renewal and land regularisation has created deep uncertainty, hurting tourism, local employment, and investor confidence in Kashmir’s hospitality sector.

“Despite repeated promises by the chief minister to protect the land rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, no concrete policy or legal stand has yet been taken to safeguard these rights in courts,” she added.