Examiner Bureau | Jammu:
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday formally marked the reopening of government offices in Jammu under the Darbar Move arrangement for the winter session of 2026–27, receiving a ceremonial Guard of Honour from a Jammu and Kashmir Police contingent at the Civil Secretariat.
The reopening marks the return of the administrative machinery to the winter capital following the seasonal relocation of government offices and employees from Srinagar to Jammu.
More than 100 government offices have resumed functioning in Jammu, bringing the focus of official activity back to the winter capital. The Chief Minister is expected to hold meetings with members of the Council of Ministers and administrative secretaries to review departmental functioning and assess the arrangements following the relocation.
Under the move plan, the Chief Minister’s Secretariat and 40 other government offices have shifted to Jammu in full, while 50 designated establishments have moved under the camp arrangement. These offices will function with 33 per cent of their sanctioned staff strength or 10 officials, whichever is lower, unless specific provisions have been made otherwise.
Security arrangements have also been strengthened around the Civil Secretariat and adjoining areas to ensure the smooth functioning of government offices and facilitate the movement of officials and visitors.
The Darbar Move is one of Jammu and Kashmir’s oldest administrative traditions, under which the government headquarters shift between Srinagar and Jammu according to the changing seasons. Government offices function from Srinagar during the summer months, generally from May to October, before relocating to Jammu for the winter period.
The practice was discontinued in 2021 by the Lieutenant Governor’s administration following the introduction of the e-office system, with the Government citing substantial savings in administrative expenditure.
However, the elected government restored the tradition in November 2025, bringing back the seasonal movement of government offices between the two capital cities.
The reopening of offices for the 2026–27 winter session marks the continuation of the revived arrangement, once again placing Jammu at the centre of the Union Territory’s administrative activities during the winter months.
