The Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir consists of two divisions: Jammu Division and Kashmir Division, and is further divided into 20 districts:

History

Princely state of Jammu and Kashmir

Prior to 1947, Kashmir was a princely state under the paramountcy of the British Indian Empire. The central part of the princely state was administratively divided into the provinces Jammu and Kashmir. In addition there were frontier districts and semi-autonomous jagirs (principalities). They were subdivided as follows:

Kashmir province: Districts of Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla and Muzaffarabad. (Muzzafarabad later became part of Azad Kashmir.) Internal jagirs: Poonch (half of it later became part of Azad Kashmir), Chenani and Bhaderwah Jammu province: Districts of Jammu, Udhampur and Mirpur (later became part of Azad Kashmir) Frontier districts: Ladakh district with three sub-districts: Leh, Kargil and Skardu (Skardu later became part of Gilgit-Baltistan.) Gilgit district with two sub-districts: Gilgit and Astore. (Both later became part of Gilgit-Baltistan.) Frontier ilaqas comprising Punial, Ishkoman, Yasin, Kuh Ghizar, Hunza, Nagar and Chilas. (All of these regions later became part of Gilgit-Baltistan.)

The Gilgit district and the frontier ilaqas were administered by the British administration as the Gilgit Agency, which were returned to the princely state prior to the Partition of India.

Partition

After the partition of India and subsequent independence of India and Pakistan, in October 1947, following a rebellion coupled with a tribal invasion from newly independent Pakistan, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India in return for armed assistance. India and Pakistan fought the First Kashmir War that lasted through 1948, at the end of which large parts of the three western districts of Mirpur, Poonch and Muzaffarabad, the whole of the Gilgit Agency and the Skardu sub-district of Ladakh came under Pakistani control. The remainder of the princely state had been organised as a state of India under the name Jammu and Kashmir.

Inside India

The territory under Indian control include: Jammu Division: districts of Jammu, Kathua, Vijaypur, Bari Brahmana, Chak Dayala, Samba, Katra, Batote, Birpur, Doda, Batote, Lakhanpur, Udhampur, Reasi; the jagirs of Chenani and Bhaderwah; 11 per cent of the Mirpur district and 40 per cent of the Poonch jagir. Kashmir Division: Kashmir South (Anantnag) and Kashmir North (Baramulla); 13 per cent of the Muzaffarabad district.

The districts were reorganised by 1968, breaking up some of the larger districts. In 2006, eight new districts were created: Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi, Samba, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Kulgam and Shopian.Jammu and Kashmir to have eight new districts, Indo-Asian News Service, 6 July 2006.

In August 2019, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act was passed by both houses of the Indian Parliament. The provisions contained in the bill reorganised the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories; Jammu and Kashmir (union territory) and Ladakh with effect from 31 October 2019.

Administration The Deputy Commissioner (DC) is the head of the district administration. They are responsible for overall administration and development activities in the district. The DC functions as District Magistrate (DM) for maintenance of law and order and as Collector for revenue administration. In the capacity of Collector, the DC oversees revenue administration, managing tasks such as revenue collection, land records maintenance, and implementation of government fiscal policies. The DC is usually an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. The Deputy commissioner is assisted by Additional Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners and Sub-divisional magistrates. The districts are further divided into sub-districts and tehsils.

Districts

Jammu Division

Sl no.DistrictHeadquartersEstablishedSubdivisionsAreaPopulation Population densityMap1DodaDoda1948 Assar Thathri Gandoh409,5762JammuJammuBefore 1947 ACR Jammu Jammu South Jammu North R.S. Pura Marh Akhnoor Chowki Choura Khour1,526,4063KathuaKathua1963 Basholi Bilawar/Badnota Hiranagar Bani615,7114KishtwarKishtwar2007 Chatroo Marwah Paddar231,0375PoonchPoonch1947 Mendhar Surankote476,8206RajouriRajouri1967 Nowshera Sunderbani Kalakote Kotranka Thanamandi619,2667RambanRamban2007 Banihal Ramsoo Gool283,3138ReasiReasi2007 Mahore Dharmari Katra314,7149SambaSamba2007 Vijaypur Ghagwal318,61110UdhampurUdhampur1931 Dudu Basantgarh Chenani Ramnagar555,357—TotalJammu375,350,811

Kashmir Division

Sl no.DistrictHeadquartersEstablishedSubdivisionsAreaPopulation Population densityMap1AnantnagAnantnagBefore 1947 Bijbehara Dooru Kokernag Pahalgam1,070,1442BandiporeBandipore2007 Sonawari Gurez385,0993BaramullaBaramullaBefore 1947 Sopore Uri Pattan Gulmarg1,015,5034BudgamBudgam1979 Beerwah Chadoora KhansahibPart A says the district area is 1371 sq km, Part B says 1371 sq km (page 11) and 1361 sq km (page 12s and 22).735,7535GanderbalGanderbal2007 Kangan297,0036KulgamKulgam2007 D.H. Pora (Noorabad)Part B page 12 says the area of the district is 404 sq km, but page 22 says 410 sq km.422,7867KupwaraKupwara1979 Karnah Lolab875,5648PulwamaPulwama1979 Tral570,0609ShopianShopian2007 ZainaporaPart B pages 12 and 22 say the district area is 312.00 sq km, but Part A page 10 says 307.42 sq km.265,96010SrinagarSrinagarBefore 1947 Srinagar ACR Srinagar East Srinagar WestPart A page 48 says the district area was 2228.0 sq km in 2001 and 1978.95 sq km in 2011.1,269,751—TotalSrinagar226,907,623

Demands for administrative reorganization

Statehood and Union Territory demands

There are active political and social movements proposing the carving out of new states and union territories from the current administrative boundaries of Jammu and Kashmir.

+ List of Proposed States and Union Territories Proposed Status Proposed Entity Expected Area of Jurisdiction Rationale for Creation Statehood Demands State Jammu State The entirety of the current Jammu Division. Proposed by various regional political groups, such as IkkJutt Jammu, seeking separate statehood for the Jammu region to ensure regional political autonomy. Union Territory Demands Union Territory Panun Kashmir Designated areas within the Kashmir Valley. Meaning "our own Kashmir," this is a proposed union territory intended to serve as a homeland for Kashmiri Hindus. The demand originated following the Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus in 1990.

Demands for new districts

Political representatives and local groups have frequently advocated for the creation of additional districts in the Jammu division, citing its significantly larger geographical area compared to the Kashmir division, despite both regions currently maintaining 10 districts each.BJP wants creation of new districts, PDP says no need, The Kashmir Monitor, 2 Apr 2018.

+ List of Proposed Districts Grouped by Current District Proposed District Proposed HQ References Proposed from Doda Bhaderwah Bhaderwah Thathri Thathri Proposed from Kishtwar Marwah Marwah Proposed from Kathua Billawar Billawar Proposed from Jammu Akhnoor Akhnoor Proposed from Rajouri Nowshera Nowshera

See also List of districts in Azad Kashmir List of districts in Gilgit-Baltistan

References

Bibliography

Larson, Gerald James. "India's Agony Over Religion", 1995, page 245

External links

Jammu and Kashmir district portal