PDP’s Waheed Para Pushes Bold Bill for New Divisions and Districts to Decentralise Governance in Jammu & Kashmir

Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed Parra has moved a private member’s bill in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, seeking to establish a statutory framework for reorganising administrative divisions, districts, subdivisions, and tehsils across the newly carved Union Territory.

The legislation, titled “The Jammu and Kashmir Territorial Administrative Reorganisation Bill, 2026,” has been submitted to the Assembly Secretariat for consideration during the ongoing Budget session. It seeks a statutory framework for reorganising divisions, districts, sub-divisions, and tehsils across the Union Territory. 

Among its most striking provisions is the creation of two new divisions; Chenab Division with headquarters in Doda and Pir Panjal Division with headquarters in Rajouri; alongside the existing Jammu and Kashmir divisions. 

The Bill also proposes several new districts in the Kashmir region, including Tral–Awantipora hill district, Ashmuqam–Pahalgam hill district, Beerwah, Sopore, Handwara, Gurez, Tangdhar–Karnah hill district, and Norabad hill district.

 In Jammu, the draft suggests carving out new hill districts such as Nowshera, Bhaderwah, Banihal, Thathri, Akhnoor, Billawar, Kotranka, and Mendhar.

The government, under the proposed framework, would have the authority to assign districts to Jammu, Kashmir, Chenab, or Pir Panjal divisions through official notifications, ensuring geographical continuity, administrative convenience, socio-cultural cohesion, and balanced development.

The stated objective is to address challenges posed by vast terrains and regional imbalances while creating a transparent legislative mechanism for decentralised governance and improved public service delivery.

Pertinently, budget session, which resumes on March 27 after a five-week recess, will run until April 4. The first leg of the session, held from February 2 to 20, saw Chief Minister Omar Abdullah present the Budget on February 6, followed by detailed departmental grant discussions.

According to the notified business schedule, March 30 and April 1 have been earmarked for private members bills, while March 31 and April 2 are reserved for private members resolutions.