Ladakh Resolves Decades-Old Barren Land Dispute, Thousands to Gain Ownership Rights

LEH, Sept. 5: Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved new rules for the regularisation of nautor land, paving the way for proprietary rights over eligible barren and wasteland holdings and bringing relief to thousands of occupants across the Union Territory.

More than 60,000 acres of land in Ladakh are currently recorded as nautor holdings in revenue records. The land, originally owned by the Government, was historically allotted to individuals for cultivation and other productive activities.

The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Nautor Regularisation) Rules, 2026 establish a uniform mechanism for regularising eligible holdings across all seven districts. Under the framework, occupants can receive proprietary rights over up to 10 acres of qualifying nautor land.

Holdings exceeding 10 acres may instead be allotted on a leasehold basis in accordance with the prescribed provisions.

A key feature of the rules is a one-time regularisation window for land occupied before October 27, 2020, when the Jammu and Kashmir Tenancy Act, 1980, was repealed. Possession established after the cut-off date will not qualify for regularisation.

The new framework also gives the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs) authority over the allotment, use and occupation of land vested with them in their respective districts.

Saxena said the regulations were designed to protect the legitimate interests of genuine landholders while preventing encroachment and unsupported claims over Government and Council land.

He described the nautor issue as one closely linked to the livelihoods of Ladakh’s people, noting that generations of residents had worked to bring barren land under cultivation despite the region’s difficult agricultural conditions.

According to the administration, the new system will provide legal certainty to eligible holders and could allow regularised land to be used as a financial asset. Such land may be mortgaged with scheduled banks, financial institutions and Government backed lending agencies for development purposes.

Market-Based Charges for Proprietary Rights

Under the rules, eligible occupants receiving proprietary rights for holdings of up to 10 acres will have to pay an amount based on the notified market rate applicable to the relevant revenue village.

For land exceeding the 10-acre threshold, proprietary rights may be granted through a leasehold arrangement, with the premium set at 80 per cent of the notified market value.

Special verification requirements have also been introduced for Gair Mustaqil holdings. Revenue officials will have to establish the identity of the occupant, the area under possession, the nature and extent of cultivation, the date of occupation and whether the possession existed before the prescribed cut-off date.

A Gair Mustaqil holding refers to land occupied or cultivated without the same permanent proprietary status associated with a Mustaqil or permanent holder.

For Mustaqil holdings, the concerned LAHDC will decide whether field verification is necessary based on local circumstances.

Safeguards Against Encroachment

The rules make clear that abandoned land and holdings found to have been encroached upon will not be eligible for allotment and may be subject to eviction.

Land that was mutated before October 27, 2020, but subsequently underwent a change in use can also be considered for regularisation, provided the change of land use receives approval from the competent authority.

The administration has also built safeguards into the framework to prevent misuse. Regularised allotments will be subject to periodic review and audit, while violations such as misrepresentation, concealment of information, unauthorised transfer or failure to utilise the land can result in cancellation or resumption.

In municipal and planning areas, including locations covered by master plans, zonal plans or development authorities, any future use of regularised land will have to comply with applicable planning regulations.

The approved rules are now set to be placed in the public domain for a two-week consultation period. They will be formally notified after the consultation process is completed.

The move is expected to bring greater legal clarity to thousands of longstanding nautor holdings while establishing tighter controls over Government and Council land.