J&K High Court seeks UT's reply to plea seeking land in Srinagar for displaced Kashmiri Pandits

The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court on Tuesday sought the response of the union territory administration on a plea seeking allotment of land in Srinagar to establish a colony for the displaced Kashmiri pandits. 

Justice Shahzad Azeem passed the order on a plea filed by the Displaced Kashmiri Residents Housing Cooperative Society. 

In its plea, the Society has sought directions to the government to implement and operationalise the rehabilitation framework envisaged in the 137th report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs dated February 2009, as well as the Jammu and Kashmir State Cabinet decisions and government orders. 

While the parliamentary committee recommended the formulation of comprehensive measures, including housing, for the reintegration of Kashmiri pandits in the valley, the then State government approved a comprehensive package for the same. 

The petition also seeks directions to the government to give full effect to the commitment made by then State Chief Secretary to the Supreme Court in 2009.

According to the petition, the Chief Secretary outlined a rehabilitation package of ₹ 1,618.40 crore for displaced persons. In its final order, the top court had expressed a hope that the government would take all necessary steps to rehabilitate the victims of terrorism. 

The petitioner society has said that in 2024, the government invited bids for the development of housing colonies under the public-private-partnership model. The petitioner submitted its expression of interest (EOI) on September 2, 2024, for a dedicated project to support the return and rehabilitation of people displaced during the 1990 exodus. 

As of now, the government authorities have not made a decision, despite the petitioners’ repeated representations to various government departments since January 2025 for land allotment and administrative support, the Court has been told.

Advocates Satya Anand Sabharwal, Sikander Hyaat and Numan Zargar appeared for the petitioner.