Reviving Tradition: The Push for Darbar Move Restoration

Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid led a protest urging the restoration of the Darbar move, a bi-annual tradition of transferring the seat of power between Jammu and Srinagar. This practice, halted in recent years, is seen as vital for governmental transparency and addressing the concerns of Jammu and Kashmir's residents.

Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid spearheaded a protest on Friday, calling for the reinstatement of the 'Darbar move'—a time-honored practice of shifting Jammu and Kashmir's seat of power between Jammu and Srinagar with the changing seasons.

The Awami Ittehad Party leader, known popularly as Engineer Rashid, gathered with supporters near the Civil Secretariat, voicing concerns about the absence of a clear capital, which has disrupted administrative functions and confused residents.

Historically, the Darbar move was established by Dogra ruler Maharaja Ranbir Singh in the 1870s to navigate Kashmir's harsh winters and Jammu's intense summers. Rashid insists that reinstating this tradition or establishing Srinagar as the permanent capital is crucial for the Union territory's governance.

(With inputs from agencies.)