DHARAMSHALA | SHIMLA: On Friday, the Himachal Pradesh Assembly referred the state’s Tenancy and Land Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to the Select Committee following discussions.
The Bill was meant for discussion and passing on the final day of the Winter Session. BJP member Randhir Sharma proposed referring the Bill to a Select Committee.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu supported the proposal, leading Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania to announce that the Bill would indeed be forwarded to the Select Committee, which will include members from both the ruling and opposition parties.
This Select Committee will review the Bill and present its report during the Budget Session for a subsequent introduction.
During the debate, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, who introduced the Bill on December 1, clarified that the amendment does not alter the core intention of the original act. It permits the leasing of houses in rural areas for ten years without requiring permission under Section 118 of the Land and Tenancy Act for properties already approved.
Negi noted that Section 118 was previously amended during the BJP government’s tenure, allowing leasing of houses in urban areas without permission, which he aims to extend to rural regions.
Sharma expressed concerns about the provision allowing a ten-year lease for rural houses, arguing it contradicts the intent of legislation established during former Chief Minister Dr. Y S Parmar’s administration.
