By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 1 May: The new land law bill in Uttarakhand has been approved by the Raj Bhavan. Along with this, Governor Lt General Gurmit Singh (Retd) has also given his approval to nine other bills that were passed during the assembly session in February and had been awaiting clearance from him.
The approved bills include the Uttarakhand Repeal Bill, 2025; Uttarakhand Town and Village Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Uttarakhand Public Service (Horizontal Reservation for Skilled Sportspersons) (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Uttarakhand (Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act 1950) (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Uttarakhand Private University (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Uttarakhand Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and Uttarakhand (Uttar Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1959) (Amendment) Bill, 2024, as originally recommended by the Select Committee of the Assembly.
It may be recalled that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, his government and the BJP claim the land law (Uttarakhand (Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act 1950) (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to be a very strict and strong land law. The government also claims that the new law will address concerns regarding unchecked land purchases by non-residents, ensuring that land transactions align with the interests of the local population and sustainable development. The bill introduces stricter regulations on land acquisition, preventing indiscriminate sales that could lead to environmental degradation and displacement of local communities. It may also be pertinent to remind here that the approval of this bill follows prolonged demands from various sections of society advocating for stronger land protection measures. It remains to be seen how effective this land law will prove in preventing land purchases by outsiders beyond the permissible limit of 250 square metres as is being claimed by the government.
