SRINAGAR: Senior Congress leader Former Minister Professor Saifuddin Soz today urged the government to issue a white paper on the issuance of domicile certificates in Jammu and Kashmir.

“J&K has explained its position that of the 12.5 lakh domicile certificates issued by it, 99 per cent of the beneficiaries happened to be permanent residents of the state. However, the people will like to know as to who constitutes the remaining 1 per cent of the beneficiaries? I urge the UT Administration to issue a “white paper” indicating particulars of those who are not state subjects, yet they got the certificates. That procedure alone can allay the fears of the people,” Soz said in a statement.

He alleged that the government had issued the certificates in “hot haste”.

“The people of the state are entitled to know the particulars of the persons who are not permanent residents, yet they got the domicile certificates. The UT Administration has explained further that these certificates have been issued for jobs only. It means that UT Administration has no objection in giving the domicile certificates to non-state subjects also. Since the UT Administration has issued the domicile certificates to such a large number of people in hot haste, the process must have involved recklessness of sorts. The perception of the people is that the UT Administration is a stop-gap arrangement and that the Centre should not have amended the Domicile Law in the absence of public support,” Soz said.

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