SRINAGAR: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has disposed of multiple writ petitions concerning the contentious land lease disputes for Gulmarg hotels, following petitioners’ requests to withdraw and pursue amicable settlement with the government.
A bench led by Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal approved the withdrawal earlier this month, noting the petitioners’ intent to submit representations to the administration for resolution. The court emphasized that extensive hearings had already occurred, with arguments nearly concluded, but respected the parties’ shift toward negotiation.
The dispute stems from the 2022 J&K Land Grant Rules introduced by the Union Territory administration under the Lieutenant Governor, which ended automatic lease extensions and mandated open auctions for expired leases—opening them to any Indian citizen. In Gulmarg, a prime tourist destination, 55 out of 59 hotel leases have expired, placing proprietors at risk of eviction and property auctions.
Senior counsel Z.A. Shah, representing the petitioners, sought permission to withdraw at the final hearing stage to first approach the government. The administration, via Senior AAG Mohsin Qadri, expressed openness to a “fair, reasonable, and equitable” solution and committed to considering representations filed within two weeks.
The bench disposed of the petitions without delving into merits, also closing related contempt pleas as infructuous and dismissing some writs on counsel’s instructions. However, it recorded regret over the considerable judicial time invested, stating the matter could have concluded that day absent the changed stance.
This development offers hope for dialogue in a high-profile case affecting Gulmarg’s tourism economy, where leased lands underpin most hotels, balancing property rights with the administration’s push for transparent allocation.
