On the final day of the winter session held at Dharamshala on Friday, after discussion, the House agreed to send the bill to the committee. Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi presented the bill for discussion.
File Photo: ANI
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly has decided to refer the proposed amendment of the provisions of section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, to a select committee for detailed consideration.
On the final day of the winter session held at Dharamshala on Friday, after discussion, the House agreed to send the bill to the committee. Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi presented the bill for discussion. Speaking on its provisions, the minister clarified that the government is not weakening Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Land Reforms Act.
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BJP legislator Randhir Sharma had urged the House to refer the amendment bill to the select committee for scrutiny.
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He stated that any changes in section 118 will not be in the interest of the people of the state.
He further said that Section 118 exists to safeguard the interests of the people of Himachal Pradesh by preventing outsiders from purchasing land in the state. “Weakening this provision, even in the name of attracting investment, could have serious long-term consequences. Therefore, this amendment bill should be withdrawn,” said Sharma, adding that if the government is unwilling to withdraw it, the proposed changes must at least undergo careful scrutiny by the Assembly’s Select Committee.
The opposition had been questioning the intent of the amendment when it was tabled in the House.
Participating in the discussion, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu accepted the request and asked Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania to constitute a select committee to deliberate on the bill.
The Speaker directed that the committee include members from both the ruling party and the opposition.
The committee will submit its report during the budget session, after which the bill will return to the House.
The Chief Minister stated that the government has proposed amendments to the law after careful consideration.
He stated that changes are necessary to allow the state to benefit from the central government’s PACS scheme. However, respecting the opposition’s suggestions, the bill is being sent to the select committee.
The Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, had been amended earlier, and the latest Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms (Amendment) Bill 2025 was introduced in the House on December 2 by the Revenue Minister.
The Revenue Minister pointed out that amendments to Section 118 were made during previous BJP governments. While urban areas already allow leasing without government permission, similar provisions are now being proposed for rural areas.
Earlier, during the discussion, BJP legislator Randhir Sharma had raised concerns about the proposed amendments for leasing buildings in rural areas.
He said the bill goes against the original intent of Section 118 under the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, enacted during Dr. Y.S. Parmar’s tenure. He added that the provision to re-lease buildings after ten years could allow outsiders to operate homestays and other commercial activities in rural areas, which may not align with Himachal’s culture. He also warned that gardens and lands could later be leased under the same provisions.
Sharma suggested that the government should refer the amendment bill to the select committee so that members can present their views before any final decision is made.
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