Domicile status made eligibility condition for admission to educational institutions in JK

Days after issuing the domicile rules, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday made domicile status certificate an eligibility condition for admission to educational institutions in the union territory. It said in a circular that the requirement of Permanent Resident Certificate wherever prescribed for admission into educational institutions will be replaced with 'Domicile Certificate'. The administration also advised all administrative secretaries to immediately effect corresponding changes in statutes or rules.

"With the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, series of constitutional changes have been affected. In terms of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2019, any reference by whatever form to 'permanent residents of the state or hereditary state subject', wherever they occurred in any Act or notification issued or rules, orders made there under, stands omitted with necessary grammatical variation,” the circular said. On Monday, the administration reopened "fresh registration" for Kashmiri migrants and displaced persons, paving way for inclusion of bonafide people who migrated from the union territory.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) appealed to Lt Governor Girish Chander Murmu to consider existing state subjects of the residents as domicile certificates. "The people having state subjects of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir should be considered as domicile. They should not be forced to stand in queues for new domicile certificates which would be injustice for the residents, who have already completed their documents, and it would create chaos in the society," senior JKAP leader Vikram Malhotra said.

He appealed that the government should use technology to find out existing people who have the State Subjects and it should be considered as their domicile. “If the State Subject holders are not considered as domiciles, it would lead to chaos and anarchy. People will have to undergo unnecessary hassle. Government should find a way out,” he suggested while referring to the confusion among the people soon after the notification on domicile was issued.

Appreciating the domicile rights of those residing in Jammu and Kashmir since many years, Malhotra said, these people had been suffering for decades as they were deprived of basic rights in the past. “It was the humanitarian cause. These people have been staying here, and have contributed to the development of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said, appreciating their role in the union territory.

With regard to concerns of the people on domicile notification, Malhotra said, “It is a document, and no document is complete in itself. As and when the elected Government comes back in J&K, it will make the changes accordingly.” 

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