Srinagar: As many as 35 private members’ bills covering liquor prohibition, employment rights, land ownership, minimum wages, migrant rehabilitation and social welfare have been listed for business in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Thursday, September 24.
The bills are part of the Assembly’s ongoing 10-day autumn session. Thursday is the third sitting of the session, which has seven sittings in total. The listing of a bill means it is being considered or introduced in the House. That does not mean that the bill has been passed into law.
The agenda contains some proposals that might be used to have a debate on issues that have long been politically and socially significant in the Union Territory.
Three Bills Seek Prohibition Of Liquor
Three private members’ bills for liquor prohibition in Jammu and Kashmir are among the prominent proposals for Thursday.
PDP MLA Mir Mohammad Fayaz has proposed a bill that aims to prohibit the advertisement, sale, purchase, consumption and manufacture of alcoholic drinks in the Union Territory.
National Conference MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar has also proposed legislation for a complete ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in Jammu and Kashmir.
A separate bill by AIP MLA Sheikh Khursheed Ahmed calls for complete prohibition of liquor sale, consumption, storage and transportation in Kashmir. The proposal is based on social, religious and security concerns of the area.
The Assembly schedule also contains other proposals for public welfare, education, employment and regional development.
One bill brought forward by Sheikh Khursheed would make it obligatory for public representatives and government servants to educate their kids in government educational institutions.
Employment and minimum wages are among the key proposals.
Employment and job security are another major theme in the list of 35 bills.
BJP MLA Devinder Kumar Manyal has proposed legislation for regularisation and permanent status for daily wagers, casual labourers and other similar workers employed in different departments from 1994 in the Jammu and Kashmir Government. The proposed legislation also covers job security, wage parity and social security benefits.
The proposal is also being made as a result of the huge number of temporary and daily-rated workers in the Union Territory. The government recently told the Assembly that so far around 1.05 lakh casual and daily-rated workers have been registered through Aadhaar-based biometric identification and skill-profiling process.
BJP MLA R S Pathania has proposed amendments to the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, in its application to Jammu and Kashmir. The bill suggests automatic revision of minimum wages based on Wholesale Price Index inflation and a mechanism for re-categorising workers according to their skill levels.
NC MLA Altaf Ahmad Wani also proposed legislation on the protection of land and employment rights of Jammu and Kashmir domiciles. The bill is for development and for the socio-economic, cultural and demographic interests of residents.
The employment proposals come at a time when the issue of regularisation of temporary government workers remains an active one. The government has said the matter is under consideration, while a committee set up in March 2025 has been looking at the status of casual, seasonal, contractual and other temporary workers.
Land, Migrant Rehabilitation And Social Welfare
Land-related issues are also on the list.
PDP MLA Waheed Para has proposed legislation on the vesting of ownership of state land in long-term occupants, regularisation of tourism-related land and other land in possession, and fairness towards land ownership transfers.
Congress MLA Nizam-ud-Din Bhat has also proposed a bill that would prohibit the conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes.
Another proposal by NC MLA Mubarik Gul focuses on the care, protection, dignity and welfare of senior citizens. It aims to establish a legal obligation on children and legal heirs to help their parents and senior citizens.
PDP MLA Aga Muntazir Mehdi has proposed the establishment of a statutory Re-integration Commission in Jammu and Kashmir. The proposed body would focus on the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return and reintegration of Kashmiri migrants, in particular Kashmiri Pandits.
The proposed commission would also address reconciliation, social healing, cultural restoration and coexistence through institutional and community-based mechanisms.
The Assembly's official portal has published the September 24 list of business together with other documents related to the autumn session.
With 35 private members’ bills listed for business, the focus of Thursday’s sitting is expected to be on prohibition, employment, land, social welfare and rehabilitation. But it is not clear which of the proposals will actually be introduced, debated and eventually accepted by the House.
