400,000 domicile certificates issued in Jammu and Kashmir under new law

Srinagar: Under the new residency laws, nearly 400,000 domicile certificates were issued in Jammu and Kashmir in the last month. Only last week, more than 20,000 Pakistani immigrants were issued domicile certificates. These people were not considered as residents of Kashmir, despite living there for more than 20 years. Therefore, these people were not able to vote in the elections. They could not get jobs and did not have a right to buy property, despite living in the state for many years.

Last year, after revoking Article 370, the union government took another important decision to change the residency laws. Therefore, a large number of these deprived people were able to get the residential status of Jammu and Kashmir. As per the new residency laws, anyone with a stay between 7 to 15 years, in Jammu and Kashmir, will get the domicile certificate. This process started on 27th June. In a month’s time, nearly 400,000 people have been sanctioned the domicile certificate. Out of these, 79,300 people are from Kashmir. But the other 78% of citizens who have been allotted the Domicile certificate are from the Jammu region.

The online process for applying for the domicile has been started and is receiving an excellent response. Domicile certificate was awarded to more than 20,000 Pakistani immigrants who have been staying in the state for many years in the last week. The Pakistani immigrants expressed their happiness by saying, ‘Till around a year ago, we were concerned about the future of our children. But the domicile certificate has resolved these concerns. Now, not only our children will be able to get jobs, but we will be able to buy land in our own name.’

Recently, 2,000 conservancy workers were issued domicile certificates. Before this, they too did not have a voting right. More than six thousand Gorkha soldiers retired from the Indian Army, and the others from this community were also issued domicile certificates.