Srinagar, March 13 -- Land has always occupied a central place in the socio-economic life of Jammu and Kashmir. In a region where agriculture historically shaped livelihoods, culture, and social hierarchy, land ownership has never been merely a legal concept. It represents security, dignity, and identity. For generations, the legal structure governing land relations has rested on two monumental legislative pillars-the Land Revenue Act of 1996 Bikrami and the Agrarian Reforms Act of 1976.

Both these laws were products of their time. The Land Revenue Act established an elaborate administrative system for maintaining land records and collecting revenue, while the Agrarian Reforms Act brought about one of the most radical transformations in ...