Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 29: The Government today introduced three key bills in the Legislative Assembly aimed at reforming laws governing workers’ service conditions, Panchayati Raj Institutions and cooperative societies.
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The bills that were introduced include the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Jammu and Kashmir Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Shops and Establishments (Licensing, Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Bill, 2025.
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Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Cooperatives, Javid Ahmad Dar, introduced the Panchayati Raj and Cooperative Societies Amendment Bills, while Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary presented the bill on workers’ employment and service conditions.
Introducing the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Javid Ahmad Dar said, “I rise to introduce a bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989 (Act No. IX of 1989) (L.A. Bill No.5 of 2025). The Bill has already been published in an extraordinary issue of the Official Gazette.”
The bill seeks to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, with its primary objective being to revise the service conditions of the State Election Commissioner.
The key amendment proposes to raise the maximum age limit for holding the office from 65 years to 70 years.
The term of office will remain five years, but the Commissioner will serve until whichever is earlier – completing the five-year term or reaching the age of 70.
The amendment aims to bring the rules in line with those in other States such as Uttar Pradesh and introduce greater administrative flexibility.
Dar, who also holds the Cooperative Department portfolio, introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
The bill seeks to streamline the appellate process for cooperative societies by omitting Section 157, which had mandated the Government to constitute a separate Cooperative Appellate Tribunal.
Instead, all appeals and related matters will now be handled by the Jammu and Kashmir Special Tribunal, constituted under the Jammu and Kashmir Special Tribunal Act, 1988.
The move aims to centralize tribunal functions and revert to an earlier mechanism that was considered more efficient.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Shops and Establishments (Licensing, Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Bill, 2025
This comprehensive bill consolidates and updates laws governing the employment and service conditions of workers in shops and commercial establishments.
Key provisions include simplified registration with online facilities for establishments, with registration optional for those employing fewer than 20 workers.
It mandates appointment letters for employees, lays down guidelines for dismissal and notice periods, and fixes a maximum of eight working hours per day and 48 hours per week, with overtime payable at double the regular wage rate.
It prohibits discrimination against women and allows them to work night shifts with adequate safety and transport arrangements.
Bill also provides for weekly holidays, casual and earned leave, and paid festival holidays.
It further mandates welfare measures such as drinking water, restrooms, creches in larger units, first-aid facilities, and canteens, and introduces the post of Inspector-cum-Facilitator to oversee compliance.
It also sets penalties for violations and repeals the existing Jammu and Kashmir Shops and Establishments Act, 1966, replacing it with a modern, comprehensive regulatory framework aligned with contemporary labour practices.
All three bills were formally tabled in the Legislative Assembly after being published in extraordinary issues of the Official Gazette.
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