Grant of domicile certificates: Manda tehsildar transferred after allegations of corruption

Dinesh Manhotra

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Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 25

Amid allegations that authorities are “extorting money” from the poor people in the name of issuing domicile certificates, the J&K administration on Saturday transferred a tehsildar after locals held a protest against the harassment met by “genuinely eligible” villagers.

Principal Secretary, Revenue Department, Pawan Kotwal on Saturday transferred tehsildar, Mandal of Jammu district, and attached him with Divisional Commissioner Jammu’s office.

KAS officer Panjak Singh has now been posted as tehsildar, Mandal, where locals had accused Revenue officials of demanding bribe for issuing domicile certificates.

Even as some influential persons, including some “outsiders” living in J&K since long, are facing no problem in getting the domicile certificate, the genuine but poor people are bearing the brunt of official apathy.

While the online system for applying for domicile certificate is almost defunct, those who are directly approaching the Revenue Department to get the document are facing harassment at many places in the name of proofs.

Two days back, elected representatives of Urban Local Bodies held a protest at Samba against black marketing of domicile forms.

A large number of youth held massive protest outside the Mandal tehsildar office on Friday due to inordinate delay in issuing the certificates.

On Friday, some members of Valmiki community had also accused the authorities of harassment.

“Instead of following the due procedure of the new domicile law, authorities at the helm of the affairs are demanding some additional documents just to torture our community members,” Garu Bhatti, a leader of Valmiki Samaj, Jammu, told The Tribune.

He alleged that it was all due to the “caste prejudice” that their community members were facing.

Meanwhile, Bahu tehsildar Rohit Sharma denied allegations of the members of Valmiki community.

“Domicile certificates have been issued to those who have completed all formalities,” he said.

Some documentary proofs were required before issuing the domicile certificates, said Sharma as he asked the community members to single out the specific cases which were yet to be cleared.

“There might be a shortage of required documents,” he argued.

After the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, last year, the Permanent Resident Certificates (PRCs) law was abolished and replaced by the new Domicile Law.

As per the new domicile law, introduced in J&K on April 1, those who have been residing in J&K for a period of 15 years, or have studied here for seven years and appeared in Class 10 or 12 examination in educational institutions located in J&K can be categorised as “domiciles”.