Department of Jammu & Kashmir Affairs

JAMMU & KASHMIR DIVISION

Acts & Rules

• The Armed Forces (Jammu & Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990

OVERVIEW

• The State of Jammu & Kashmir - integral part of India - situated in the northernmost part of India - capital Srinagar (summer) & Jammu (winter).
• One of the most beautiful places in the world - snow-bound Himalayan peaks and glaciers, pristine rivers and valleys, dense coniferous forests, and fresh mountain air - popular as �Heaven on Earth�.
• Shares borders with Pakistan in the west, China in the north and east, and the Indian states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in the south.
• It consists of three distinct regions � Kashmir valley, Jammu, and Ladakh. The area and population of the three regions is �

• Languages - Kashmiri, Dogri, Pahari, Punjabi, Gojari, Ladakhi or Bodhi, Balti, Dardic.

Districts in J & K

• The J&K divided into 22 districts and they are-districts of Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kishtwar*, Ramban*, Reasi*, and Samba* in Jammu Division and Srinagar, Budgam, Anantnag, Pulwama, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora*, Ganderbal*, Kulgam* and Shopian* in Srinagar Division and Kargil and Leh in Ladakh Region.
  
  * New Districts

History & Civilization

• Synthesis of religious and cultural influences down the ages - Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.
• Earliest detailed written history - Rajtarangini - by Kalhana - 12th century A.D.
• Part of empire of Ashoka the Great - 3rd century - Buddhism arrives - flourishes under the Kushans.
• Under Vikramaditya of Ujjain - 6th century - return of Hinduism - Lalitaditya - Hindu ruler - AD 697 to 738 - Avantivarman - successor of Lalitaditya - founded Anantipur near Srinagar.
• Ganpatyar & Khir Bhawani temples - Mahabharata age.
• Gilgit manuscripts - ancient Pali (Buddhist) script.
• Trikha Shastra - origins in Kashmir - tolerant philosophy.
• Muslim Rule - 14th century onwards - arrival of Sufi Islam from Persia.
• Rishi tradition - confluence of Trikha Shastra and Sufi Islam - essence of Kashmiriyat - cultural offshoot of Indian ethos - not fundamentalism.
• Mughal suzerainty - Akbar the Great - AD 1589.
• Pathans take over after disintegration of the Mughal Empire - dark age.
• Pathans defeated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, ruler of Punjab - AD 1814.
• Sikhs defeated by the British - Treaty of Lahore - AD 1846 - Gulab Singh, installed by the British, becomes independent ruler of Kashmir.
• Gilgit Agency under the British Political Agent - Gilgit area out of the Kashmir Court.
• Reagent appointed by the British in Jammu & Kashmir.
• Hari Singh, great grandson of Gulab Singh, succeeds in AD 1925 - continues to rule up to AD 1947.

Accession & Consolidation

• Partition of British India - 1947 - 560 semi-independent Princely States - protected by the British Empire under the Paramountcy Doctrine - 1858.
• Cabinet Mission Memorandum - India Independence Act, 1947 - end of Paramountcy - all rights of States returned - States to enter into federal or particular political arrangements with successor Government(s) of British India - India & Pakistan.
• Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir prefers Standstill Agreement with Pakistan & India. Signs Agreement with Pakistan.
• Before Agreement is signed with India, Pakistan cuts off essential supplies to Kashmir - violation of Standstill Agreement - pressure tactic to force accession.
• Pressure tactic fails - Pakistan instigates, abets and supports invasion of Kashmir by Pathan tribes - Hari Singh requests India for help - October 24, 1947.
• Partition of British India - 1947 - 560 semi-independent Princely States - protected by the British Empire under the Paramountcy Doctrine - 1858.
• National Conference - largest popular organisation - also appeals to India.
• Hari Singh writes to Lord Mountbatten, Governor General about the crisis in Kashmir - expresses accession to India - accepted by Mountbatten - October 27, 1947.
• Accession - Government of India Act, 1935 & India Independence Act, 1947 - 'An Indian State shall be deemed to have acceded to the Dominion if the Governor General of India has signified the acceptance of an Instrument of Accession executed by the ruler thereof.'
• Authority of Hari Singh to enter into accession agreement not questioned by Pakistan - accession of Kashmir to India legal.
• India dispatch Army to repel Pathan invaders - October 27, 1947.

          Accession Document

The United Nations

• India refers the Kashmir issue to the United Nations Security Council - January 1, 1948.
• The Council calls upon India and Pakistan - measures to improve the situation - inform about any material change - January 17, 1948.
• A three member UN Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) - look into the dispute - January 20, 1948 - membership raised - April 21, 1948.
• Emergency administration - replaced by interim Government headed by Sheikh Abdullah - March 5, 1948.
• The UNICP passed resolution - August 13, 1948 - cease-fire - withdrawal of Pak troops and all outsiders followed by reduction of Indian forces - determination of the future status of Jammu & Kashmir in accordance with the �Will of the People' - proposed plebiscite conditional on withdrawal of Pak troops from entire Jammu & Kashmir - never occurred.
• Cease-fire proclaimed under UN auspices - January 1, 1949.
• The UNCIP resolution - January 5, 1949 - reiterating resolution of August 13, 1948 - providing for appointment of a plebiscite administrator by the Secretary General.

Formative Years

• The All Jammu & Kashmir National Conference - resolution - convening a constituent assembly - adult suffrage - determining its future shape and affiliation, including its accession to India - to frame a Constitution - October, 1950.
• The Constituent Assembly formed after elections - September, 1951.
• The historic 'Delhi Agreement' - Kashmiri leaders and the Government of India - dynamic nature of constitutional relationship between the state of Jammu & Kashmir and the Indian Union - reaffirmed its accession to India - July 24, 1952.
• The Constitution of Jammu & Kashmir adopted by the Constituent Assembly - November, 1956 - came into effect - January 26, 1957.
• The first general elections held in the State - popular Government formed by the National Conference under Sheikh Abdullah - March, 1957.
• The State Assembly - unanimously decided - amendment to the State Constitution for extension of jurisdiction of the Election Commission and Supreme Court of India over the State - 1959.
• The second general election held in the State - Sheikh Abdullah voted back to power - 1962.

Holy Relic Stolen from Hazrat Bal Shrine

• December, 1963 - unfortunate incident - the Holy Relic stolen from the Hazratbal Shrine - massive agitation launched by an action committee under the leadership of Maulvi Farroq - Holy Relic recovered and restored.

War with Pakistan

• Infiltration of intruders in Jammu & Kashmir - August, 1965 - followed by attack by the Pakistani armed forces.
• Attack repelled by the Indian armed forces.
• The 'Tashkent Agreement ' signed between India and Pakistan - January 10, 1966.

Political Consolidation

• The third general elections held for the State Assembly - Congress Government formed - March, 1967.
• The fourth general elections held - the Jamaat-E-Islami participated for the first time - won 5 seats - Congress Government formed - February, 1972.
• The historic 'Shimla Agreement' - between India and Pakistan - all previous pronouncements on Kashmir superceded - all issues relating to Jammu & Kashmir to be settled bilaterally - the cease-fire line converted to the Line of Control (LOC) - July 3, 1972. .
• The Kashmir accord concluded - Prime Minister of India - 'Clock cannot be put back'; Kashmiri leadership - 'Accession of the state of Jammu & Kashmir to India is not a matter in issue' - February, 1975.
• Sheikh Abdullah became Chief Minister - Plebiscite front found and merged with National Conference - July, 1975.
• The fifth general election held - the National Conference voted back to power - voter turnout 68% - July, 1977.
• Sheikh Abdullah passes away - September 8, 1982 - son Dr. Farooq Abdullah sworn in as Chief Minister - led the National Conference to victory in the sixth general elections - June, 1983.
• General elections to Lok Sabha held in 1984.  Polling percentage 62.72.
• Governor�s rule imposed in the State on 6-9-1986 followed by President�s rules.
• President rules withdrawn and a coalition Government of Congress�I and NCF formed on 7-11-1986.
• Elections to the State Assembly held in March 1987 in which Congress and National conference secured 66 out of 76 seats and coalition Government formed.
• State Government resigned and General Elections to Lok Sabha held in November 1989.  Polling percentage 31.61.
• Governor�s rules imposed on 19.1.1990 followed by President�s Rule on 18.07.1990.
• General Elections to Lok Sabha held in May 1996.  Polling percentage 49.02.
• Assembly elections held in September 1996 and National Conference formed the Government.  Polling percentage 54.04.
• General Elections to Lok Sabha held in February-March 1998.  Polling percentage 44.42.
• General Elections to Lok Sabha held in September October 1999.  Polling percentage 32.40.
• Panchayat elections held in the State during January-June, 2001. Polling percentage 53.18.
• The Lok Sabha elections were also held in 1999 in which the polling percentage was 32.40.
• The elections to the State Assembly held in 2002. The percentage of polling 44.62. The ruling party National Conference voted out.  A coalition Government of Indian National Congress (I) and Peoples Democratic Party and other smaller parties formed the Government in November 2002.
• General Election to Lok Sabha held in April-May 2004.  Polling percentage 35.21.
• Civic Elections held in January �February 2005.  Polling percentage 48.
• Bye-elections to the four Assembly constituencies were held in April 2006 in which the polling percentage was between 62 and 76 recording the highest ever polling in the State.            

Rehabilitation - PM's Reconstruction Plan for Jammu & Kashmir

• The Prime Minister during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir on November 17-18, 2004, announced a Reconstruction Plan for Jammu and Kashmir involving an outlay of approximately Rs. 24,000 crore, which broadly includes the Projects/Schemes aimed at expanding economic infrastructure and the provision of the basic services, imparting a thrust to employment and income generation and providing relief and rehabilitation for the dislocated and the families of the victims of militancy.
• The Projects/Schemes envisaged in the Reconstruction Plan are implemented by the respective Administrative Ministries/Departments in consultation with the State Government.
• The Reconstruction Plan includes 67 projects/schemes covering 11 sectors of economy. Out of the aforesaid 67 projects/schemes, action in respect of 10 projects/schemes have been completed and the remaining 57 projects/schemes are at various stages of implementation.
• The progress on the implementation of the Reconstruction Plan is being monitored by Ministry of Home Affairs and Planning Commission regularly.  

Renovation of houses & shrines at Kheer Bhavani and Mattan

• Government have taken various measures towards return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Migrants. As a part of the measures, Government of J&K have undertaken renovation of shrines and houses of Kashmiri Migrants at Kheer Bhavani and Mattan. 18 three-roomed flats have been constructed at Mattan at an expenditure of Rs.1.08 crores for temporary stay of Kashmiri Pandit Migrants to enable them to experience the situation in the Valley and decide about their return. At Kheer Bhavani, 100 one-room tenements have been constructed and other renovation work such as Yatri Niwas, rain shelters, fencing of shrine, etc. have been completed at an expenditure of Rs.7.30 crores.

Construction of 200 flats at Budgam

• Construction of 200 flats at Sheikhpora in Budgam district at an expenditure of Rs.20.00 crores is also nearing completion. This would enable return of 200 Kashmiri Migrant families to the Valley.

Construction of 5242 two-roomed tenements at Jammu for Kashmiri Migrants

• In order to improve the living conditions in the Migrant camps, an inter-ministerial team was constituted to prepare a plan for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Migrants. The team�s recommendations have been accepted on 16.5.2005 for implementation. Accordingly, the State Government of J&K have prepared an action plan for construction of 5242 two-roomed tenements (TRTs) in a period of three years at an expenditure of Rs.185.00 crores for the Kashmiri Migrants staying in camps and Government and semi-Government accommodation at Jammu. Accordingly, construction work on 1472 two-roomed tenements started and an expenditure of Rs.16.94 crores incurred upto 31st March 2006.

Rehabilitation of Border Migrants

• Government have approved an expenditure of Rs.59.18 crores for rehabilitation of 6072 families displaced from Akhnoor Tehsil, Jammu Division on account of border disturbances in the wake of the Kargil Conflict of 1999. The amount would be utilized for construction of houses at safe locations by allotting 5 marlas of land to each family, providing civic amenities in the rehabilitation colonies, purchase of a bullock pair for each family, lump sum grant of Rs.10,000/- to each family on account of losses to household furniture/fixtures, reclamation of 239.50 acres of agricultural land inundated by water and clearing of 3512 acres of agricultural land covered by thick undergrowth. A sum of Rs.10.00 crores has been provided to the State Government as advance towards implementation of the scheme. The State Government have released Rs.13.14 crores for 6072 families @ Rs.20,000/- per family and have further sanctioned Rs.18.79 crores for rehabilitation scheme.

Level of Terrorist Violence and Security Situation in J&K - An assessment (As on 31.10.2007)

• In 2006, the number of incidents is down by 16% and those of civilians killed by 30% and of security forces killed by 20% as compared to the previous year.
• In 2007 (till Oct.), the number of incidents is down by 33% and those of civilians killing by 59% and SFs by 27% over the corresponding period of previous year.
• The daily average of terrorist incidents is 4.56 during the year 2006 as against 5.45 for the year 2005.
• The daily average of terrorist incidents is 3.15 during the current year till October, as compared to 4.74 during the corresponding period last year. 

Trends of Violence In J&K  

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