Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu, Kathua, Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Samba, Udhampur, Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Ganderbal, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama, Shopian, Kargil, Leh
,
Batamaloo
,
Srinagar
Published :
Jun 2017
|
Updated :
Jammu and Kashmir Government Urges Indian Army to End Occupation of Public Land
Reported by
Athar Parvaiz
Legal Review by
Anmol Gupta
Edited by
Anupa Kujur
Households affected
People affected
1990
Year started
8660
ha.
Land area affected
Households affected
People Affected
1990
Year started
8660
Land area affected
Key Insights
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Defence and Security Establishments
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Urban and Rural
Ended
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Defence and Security Establishments
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Urban and Rural
Ended
1
Summary

The Indian Army has been reported to occupy tracts of prime land across Jammu and Kashmir since the 1990s without authorization. Prior to the abrogation of Article 370, and as per a 1971 circular, it was mandatory for the Indian Army, Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force, to obtain a No Objection Certificate in order to acquire land in the erstwhile state. In recent years, the state government has asked the army to vacate land in Jammu, Kargil and Anantang and a 212acre plot in Batamaloo area of Srinagar (Tattoo Ground), in the heart of the city. Many landowners who had to give up their land received low or no compensation. The State government at the Civil Military Liason Conference at 2015 urged the army to vacate the land and called upon the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir to identify 112 acres of land, in consultation with the Army at mutually agreeable location. The government has been planning to establish a huge public recreational park called Citizen's Park in the Tattoo ground and use a portion of the land for a bus terminus. In March 2016, the Army agreed to vacate parts of occupied land in compliance with the decisions taken in the Civil Military Liaison Conference. Land occupied in Anantnag since 1990s was not to be returned to their original owners who are cultivators of walnuts, almonds and apples. With time, the process of relinquishing land appeared to have come to a halt. In 2018, the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that 53,750 acres of land were illegally occupied by the Army. As of 2020, 21,399 acres remained occupied in the Jammu and Kashmit Union Territory. In 2020, two amendments made to the J&K Development Act allowed the army to notify strategic areas for which it would no longer require an NOC.

2
Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Give up unauthorized occupation on prime tracts of land

Region Classification

Urban and Rural

Type of Land

Common

Non-Forest (Grazing Land), Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

Type of investment:

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

4
Additional Information

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir , Indian Army

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

5
Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Legal Supporting Documents

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Author
Reported by
Athar Parvaiz
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Fact sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

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Exclusive monthly policy briefs, stories from the ground, Quarterly Analytics report, Curated Expert talks, merchandise and much more.


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