SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has so far granted over 41 lakh domicile certificates so far.
According to a report titled ‘Jammu and Kashmir marching to a new tune – towards prosperity, progress and peace issued by the Department of Information and Public Relation (DIPR) out of 41.05 lakh, 55931 certificates were issued to West Pakistan refugees, 2754 to Valmikies, and 789 Gorkhas.
On August 5, 2019 Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union territories and Articles 370 and 35(A) were nullified that gave the erstwhile state its special status and the mandate to define its domicile rules.
The process of issuing domicile certificates in the union territory was started in the last week of June 2020.
In July 2021, the rules were changed to allow domicile certificates to be granted to the husbands of local women married to people from outside Jammu and Kashmir. The move will allow them to buy land or property in the Union territory or apply for government jobs. All people who have resided in the UT for 15 years, or have studied for seven years and appeared in Class 10 or 12 examinations in an educational institution in the region, and their children, are eligible for grant of domicile status.
