People from West Pakistan, Valmikis, Kashmiri migrants to get domicile under new rules by J-K admin

Deprived of their rights for decades, people belonging to West Pakistan, Valmikis, women marrying outside communities, non-registered Kashmiri migrants, displaced people will soon get domicile under a new set of rules issued by the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Monday.

The administration notified Jammu and Kashmir grant of domicile certificate (procedure) rules, 2020, thereby formulating rules to prescribe the procedure for issuance of domicile certificate, which has been made the basic eligibility criteria for appointment to any post under the union territory following amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (decentralization).

Under these rules, children of the people of these categories can now get jobs in Jammu and Kashmir as they will be entitled for the rights after they are granted domicile.

"These rules prescribe the procedure for issuance of domicile certificate, which has been made the basic eligibility condition for appointment to any post under the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir following amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralization and Recruitment) Act, 2010," spokesperson of J&K government, Rohit Kansal told reporters here.

Under the domicile rules, all those persons and their children who have resided for 15 years in Jammu and Kashmir or have studied for seven years and appeared in class 10 or 12 examination in an educational institution in the UT are eligible for grant of domicile, he said.

Children of central government officials, all India service officers, officials of PSUs and autonomous body of the central government, public sector banks, officials of statutory bodies, officials of central universities and recognised research institutes of the central government, who have served in Jammu of Kashmir for a total period of 10 years will also be eligible for domicile status in the UT, Kansal added.

Besides, all those migrants and their children who are registered with relief and rehabilitation commissioner will be granted domicile certificate, he said.

Children of those residents of Jammu and Kashmir who stayed outside the union territory in connection with their employment of business or other professional or vocational reasons have also become eligible for grant of domicile status, he said.

The rules provide a simple and time-bound procedure for the issuance of the domicile certificate so that no one is put to any inconvenience, Kansal added.

"There shall be a timeline of 15 days for issuance of the certificate after which the applicant shall be free to approach an appellate authority," he said.

The decision of the appellate authority shall be binding upon the issuing authority and the orders of the appellate authority are to be complied within seven days, failing which the defaulting officer shall be liable for a penalty of Rs 50,000 out of his salary, he said.