kashmir, kashmir!

anar

a kashmiri friend has me all excited! he told me about a plot of land that is for sale near anantnag for rupees two lakhs - it is big enough to build a small house and garden (can't remember the exact size - a few 'merla'?). there is a stream that runs past, the place is stunningly beautiful, and according to him, no terrorist activity.

i don't know the ins and outs of owning property in kashmir but i suspect it's a big no-no for a (hindu) non-kashmiri to be able to do so legitimately. ideally, i'd like it to be in my name. is this really such an impossibility? failing this, i am considering buying it in this friend's name. even if i use the place occasionally, i think it would be a worthwhile expense (two lakh rupees is not a lot of money these days). the house will be a simple affair, also inexpensive.

i would much rather have a place to call (almost) my own in kashmir than in himachal anyday.

anyone here been involved in land-purchase in kashmir? all help gratefully received. i plan to go first week of october to see for myself. so excited!

capt_mahajan

Non Kashmiris cannot buy land there legally, to the best of my knowledge.

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Outside the machine

delhiwala

Captain is right !

The rights of ownership and sale of immovable property in Jammu and Kashmir are restricted to "state subjects" only. Furthermore, property transactions are limited by the Jammu and Kashmir Permanent Resident Status Bill of 2004 which restrains Kashmiri women from passing on the property to their inheritors if they choose to marry a non-Kashmiri.

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Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone. - The Dhammapada

wat

Only kashmiris can buy land in Kashmir. Such, is also the case in many N.E, Jharkhand etc

anar

sounds sexist!

thanks all for confirming what i had suspected all along. i'm still keen to go and see for myself. i trust my friend and am willing to buy a place in his name if necessary.

delhiwala

Yes ! It does......

Madhu Kishwar organised protests when this amendment was introduced but nothing happened...............

ozman

I agree with capt; Dilhiwala you cannot own property if you are not a state subject and that is not unique to J&K only anyway if you want to keep your friendship you will stay away from this venture of buying,you can always rent a place there with the help of same friend and enjoy his friendship minus the headache of maintenance.

anar

i hope he/she is still alive!

i like the idea of ownership. i want to have a small garden there where i will grow things and return periodically to watch the progress. i rarely like others' ideas of how a house or garden should look like (inside and outside). renting a place just won't do it for me.

i don't think my friend will jeopardise his friendship with me for what will ultimately not be a huge amount of money. he is neither needy nor greedy (fasting for ramzaan now and prays five times a day - hardly the profile of a would-be cheat). he (and his family) will have the use of the place when i am not there. if this goes ahead, it is he who will be doing me a favour!

capt_mahajan

This is not a comment on anar's friend, whom I don't know at all, but-

I daresay I could produce ten thousand Muslim cheats who do that religiously. Or Hindu cheats who go to the temple everyday, or Christian cheats who....

Religion and integrity are usually different things.

That aside, good luck with your plans.

gypsie,lotus

you will be a fool for putting up money for someone else to own the property. Money makes enemies fast.

anar

i tend to go by my instincts and so far, apart from a few incidents, have not been let down. anyways, nothing has been finalised, i will be looking into it carefully which is why i will be making the trip later this month (any excuse to be back in kashmir). by the way, we are 'just friends', no more - there's no romance, etc. which, had there been that angle to this, would have been a reason for concern.