Jharkhand passes bill to use 1932 land records to determine domicile status

Ranchi, Nov 11: A bill that proposes to use 1932 land records to determine people's domicile status was passed in the Jharkhand assembly on Friday.

In a special session, the Jharkhand Definition of Local Persons and for Extending the Consequential Social, Cultural and Other Benefits to such Local Persons Bill, 2022 was passed.

The bill was passed amid demand by tribal bodies that the last land survey conducted by the British in 1932 be used as the basis for defining locals as against the currently accepted cut-off of 1985.

People whose ancestors were living in the area before 1932, and whose names were included in that year's land records will be considered local residents of Jharkhand, when the proposals in the bill come into effect.

Speaking in the assembly, Chief Minister Hemant Soren said the day "will be written in gold letters" in the state's history.

Hitting out at the BJP, he said the opposition MLAs were creating uproar as it was in tremendous "pressure, fear and anxiety" due to the milestones achieved by the JMM-led coalition, which wants all-round development of the state, "instead of hatching conspiracies".

Amid the chaos in the House, senior BJP MLA Bhanu Pratap Shahi was heard saying, "We have come to support the legislation... give us the opportunity to speak." A proposal to send the bill for vetting by an assembly committee was rejected.

The bill was passed at a time when the state was passing through a political crisis, triggered by summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate to Soren, besides uncertainty over his continuance as an MLA in the office of profit case.

After the bill was passed, the House was adjourned sine die.