The Civil Secretariat, the seat of the Jammu and Kashmir government, reopened here on Monday as part of the bi-annual 150-year-old ‘Darbar Move’ practice, officials said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour as offices reopened in the summer capital, a week after closing in Jammu.
“The Darbar Move, which was resumed last year at Jammu, marks a renewed continuity of governance in Jammu and Kashmir, with the full Secretariat shifting to the summer capital after several years,” the office of chief minister posted on official X handle.
Under the practice of ‘Darbar Move’, the government functions in Jammu during the six winter months and in Srinagar during the summer. The practice was started by Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1872 to escape extreme weather conditions in the two regions.
The practice continued even after Independence to provide governance benefits to both Kashmir and Jammu regions for six months.
The shifting of capitals was stopped during the Lt Governor’s rule in 2021, but was restored by Omar Abdullah in 2025, a year after he assumed office. Ahead of the Darbar Move, Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, got a facelift with sprucing up of roads and walkways.
Roads with potholes were repaired and given a fresh coat of paint ahead of the shifting of the Civil Secretariat and other government offices.