Question

The people who are denied to buy land in Kashmir are ________________
A. Non-resident Indians
B. Residents of Jammu
C. Non- permanent residents
D. Residents of Srinagar

Answer 1

Hint: Article $35$ A of the Indian constitution was a provision that debarred non-residents of Jammu and Kashmir from buying land or property in Jammu and Kashmir. The central government passed the J & K reorganization act which repealed land laws in J & K. The special status enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir was revoked.

Complete step by step answer:
1. J & K’s special status under Article \[370\] was withdrawn on \[5\] August \[2019\] , the reorganization Act bifurcated the erstwhile state into two union territories – J&k and Ladakh. The union government came out with a series of notifications that revoked many restrictions on non-residents of J & K in many matters.
2. The newly introduced J & K Development Act omits the criteria of a permanent resident to qualify for investing in J & K, thus paving the way for investments from outside. Agricultural lands cannot be used for other purposes unless permitted by the district collector.
3. An army officer with a rank not less than Corp Commander can declare any area within a local area as a Strategic Area. J & K forest act was also replaced by the Indian Forest Act.
4. The extension of Real Estate (Regulation and Development) has been notified in the UT and with the abrogation of article $35$ A, any Indian citizen can now buy land in Jammu and Kashmir. NRIs are still facing some restrictions regarding the purchase and transfer of land in the UT.
So, the correct answer is Option A.

Note: The term NRI is used loosely to describe a person with Indian roots living abroad. There are certain restrictions on NRIs especially while buying agricultural lands. They are also restricted by FEMA and RERA Acts.