Omar delivers on key promise, revives Darbar Move ended by L-G Sinha in 2021

Fulfilling a key electoral promise, the Jammu and Kashmir Government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday announced the restoration of the Darbar Move -- the biannual shifting of the civil secretariat between Srinagar and Jammu-- which had been discontinued by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha during the Central rule in 2021.

The announcement comes on a day the National Conference completed one year in office. It is expected to give the ruling party a boost in Jammu, where there has been strong demand for reviving the old practice.

Speaking at a press conference in Jammu, Omar confirmed that the J&K Cabinet had approved the decision and forwarded it to Lt Governor Sinha, who had signed and returned the file. “I too have signed the file for the full Darbar Move. We are restoring the age-old tradition,” he said. The government later issued a formal order on the restoration.

The practice, introduced by the Dogra rulers nearly 150 years ago, was stopped by Lt Governor Sinha in June 2021 citing the administration’s transition to an e-office system, which was projected to save around Rs 200 crore annually. Under the Darbar Move, the civil secretariat and other government offices functioned for six months each in Srinagar and Jammu during summer and winter, respectively.

The discontinuation, however, drew sharp criticism, particularly from Jammu’s business community and politicians, who described the tradition as a vital link between the two regions. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry had also urged the government to restore the practice, citing its economic benefits for the region.

Questioning the earlier decision to end the tradition, Omar said, “It was a practice even before 1947. The people taunt us that we don’t understand the history of J&K and don’t respect its great personalities. In fact, it was the BJP which destroyed their legacy. But we had promised the people that we would restore the Darbar Move.”

Expressing hope that the move would help the economy of Jammu, the Chief Minister said the decision would help counter the propaganda that his party only represented one region, “We are a party of Jammu and Kashmir, not a party of any one particular province,” he added.