Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday (March 26, 2026) said a private member’s Bill submitted to the J&K Assembly on creating new divisions of the Chenab Valley and the Pir Panjal was approved by J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for consideration.
PDP spokesperson Mohit Bhan said the Omar Abdullah government should “clarify its position on the Bill”, which proposed administrative reorganisation including the creation of new divisions and districts across the Union Territory.
“The Bill, which has received approval from the Lieutenant Governor for consideration, seeks to address long-standing regional disparities by decentralising governance and ensuring that administrative mechanisms reach the most remote and underserved areas of Jammu and Kashmir,” said the PDP.
Titled The Jammu and Kashmir Territorial Administrative Reorganisation Bill, 2026, the PDP seeks new administrative divisions, including a Chenab Division with headquarters at Doda and a Pir Panjal Division with headquarters at Rajouri, in addition to the existing Jammu and Kashmir divisions.
“With the Lieutenant Governor granting approval, the onus is now on the government to decide whether it stands with the people of far-flung regions of both Kashmir and Jammu or chooses to act as a roadblock to their empowerment,” Mr. Bhan said.
