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The Jammu and Kashmir Government has issued the schedule for the annual 'Darbar Move' of government offices from Srinagar to Jammu for the winter season of 2026–27, directing the concerned departments to complete the shifting process according to the prescribed dates.

According to Government Order No. 1664-JK (GAD) of 2026, issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), offices observing a five-day working week will close in Srinagar on October 30, while those observing a six-day working week will close on October 31, after office hours. All designated offices will reopen in Jammu on November 2, 2026.

The order, issued by Commissioner/Secretary to the Government M. Raju, IAS, specifies arrangements for the movement of employees, transportation, security, medical facilities, accommodation and other logistical requirements.

According to the order, 41 offices and establishments have been designated to move to Jammu in full. These include all departments of the Civil Secretariat, the Chief Minister's Secretariat, the Financial Commissioner (Revenue), the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, the Chief Electoral Office, the Directorate of Information, the Transport Commissioner, the Directorate General of Accounts and Treasuries, and several other departments and organisations.

J&K governmentIANS

Meanwhile, 50 offices will move to Jammu on a camp basis, with only a limited number of employees required to shift. These include the State Taxes Department, the Excise Department, the Economics and Statistics Department, the Audit and Inspection Department, AYUSH, Horticulture, Geology and Mining, the J&K Services Selection Board, the Board of Professional Entrance Examination, the National Health Mission, the J&K Medical Supplies Corporation, and several other departments and organisations.

Under the prescribed arrangement, offices moving on a camp basis will generally shift 33 per cent of their staff strength or 10 officials, whichever is lower, unless a different arrangement has been specifically mentioned in the order.

Omar AbdullahIANS

Revival of biannual 'Darbar Move' announced in 2025

After assuming office in October 2024, the Omar Abdullah-led government announced the revival of the traditional biannual Darbar Move in October 2025, following a gap of more than four years.

The Darbar Move, which involves shifting the seat of government between Jammu and Srinagar with the change of seasons, was discontinued by the Lieutenant Governor's administration in 2021.

The practice was introduced in 1872 by Maharaja Gulab Singh to ensure administrative accessibility across both the Kashmir and Jammu regions. The government's decision marked the revival of one of Jammu and Kashmir's oldest administrative traditions.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) has been directed to arrange a sufficient number of buses in good condition to transport employees on October 31 and November 1.

Advance ticket bookings will begin on October 27 at the Civil Secretariat and the main JKRTC booking counters. Wherever feasible, tickets will be issued according to employees' destinations.

To ensure safe and uninterrupted travel, JKRTC has also been directed to deploy one crane, two empty buses and mobile workshop facilities with each convoy to deal with vehicle breakdowns and other technical problems during the journey.

The J&K Police will escort employee convoys throughout their journey to their respective destinations. The police have also been directed to ensure that the Darbar Move convoys are given precedence while crossing the Banihal-Qazigund Tunnel and the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel.

The Director General of Police, J&K, will issue the necessary instructions to field agencies to implement these arrangements.

The Health and Medical Education Department has been tasked with establishing medical aid facilities at Qazigund, Banihal, Ramsu, Ramban, Chenani, Udhampur and Jhajjar Kotli on the days when employees travel from Srinagar to Jammu.

The government order provides for a uniform Special Move Travelling Allowance of Rs 25,000 per employee participating in the move. However, employees who fail to move before or within the prescribed dates will not be entitled to the allowance.

Advance pay will also be authorised for non-gazetted employees who apply for it, with recovery to be made in instalments in accordance with the applicable rules.

The salaries for October 2026 of employees working in the offices scheduled to move will be drawn on October 29.

The order further states that leave will generally not be permitted in combination with, or immediately before or after, the designated move days, except under very exceptional circumstances. Such leave will require approval from the concerned administrative secretary.

However, five days of special casual leave will be allowed to Kashmir-based employees participating in the Darbar Move who wish to avail themselves of the facility. The grant of this leave will not be linked to the availability of accommodation in Jammu.