SRINAGAR: The historic Darbar Move, a 152-year-old administrative tradition scrapped in 2021, may soon return in Jammu and Kashmir.
On Saturday, Javed Ahmed Rana, Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment, and Tribal Affairs, said the government was considering restoring the biannual practice of shifting the Union Territory’s capital between Srinagar and Jammu. “Darbar Move practice has been a tradition in Jammu and Kashmir. I believe this year the biannual practice will be restored. I cannot give you the exact date and month right now. I hope during the next cabinet meeting, a decision will be taken regarding the restoration,” he said.
The tradition traces its origins to 1872, when Maharaja Ranbir Singh began transferring his royal court between the two cities to escape extreme weather conditions. For decades, government offices would operate from Srinagar during summer and shift to Jammu in winter. The exercise involved the relocation of nearly 10,000 employees, records, and equipment, with dozens of trucks carrying files across the Jammu-Srinagar highway twice a year. While officials cited climate and convenience, critics described it as a costly exercise draining nearly Rs 200 crore annually from the state exchequer.
The practice was abolished in 2021 by the administration led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, which argued that the money saved could be used to improve public services and that digitisation of records had made the physical transfer unnecessary.
The debate over its revival has gained political traction. In December 2023, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that if his National Conference returned to power, it would restore the Darbar Move. “We assure you that the Darbar Move will be restored. Jammu holds its own importance, and we will not allow its uniqueness to diminish,” he had said. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary also backed its return, stressing that the practice boosted Jammu’s economy by supporting hotels, transport, and local industries.
The National Conference included the restoration of the Darbar Move in its 2024 Assembly election manifesto, describing it as essential to preserving Jammu’s economic and political significance.
