More than 83,700 “non-state subjects” were granted domicile certificates in Jammu and Kashmir in the past two years, the government said on Wednesday.

They were among the 35.1 lakh total domicile certificates issued during the period, The Indian Express quoted the government as having told the Assembly.

The certificates allow individuals to apply for government jobs and buy property in the Union Territory.

Under Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to the erstwhile state and was abrogated by the Union government in August 2019, only permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir could apply for government jobs and own land there. The provision had barred non-state subjects from residing in Jammu and Kashmir permanently.

The state government on Wednesday said that the term “state-subjects” referred to permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir as the previous definition in the erstwhile state’s Constitution was no longer applicable, The Indian Express reported.

New rules were introduced in 2020 that allow outsiders who have lived in the Union Territory for 15 years or studied there for seven years to apply for a domicile certificate.

Peoples Democratic Party MLA Waheed Ur Rehman Para, who had sought the information in the Assembly, objected to the certification and demanded an investigation into the matter.

“We want this to be revoked in totality,” The Indian Express quoted Para as saying. “Since the certification is a key requirement for securing jobs, the larger figure here represents locals who are also required to secure domicile certificates.”

Data shared by the Union government in Parliament in 2023 showed that 185 non-residents had bought land in the Union Territory since Article 370 was abrogated.

Fifty-seven non-residents had bought land in the Union Territory in 2021 and 127 in 2022, the Centre had said.