JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government is set to introduce a draft Disturbed Areas legislation, aiming to become the second state in the country after Gujarat to bring such a law into force. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting of the CM Bhajanlal Sharma-led government on Wednesday.
Under the proposed legislation, the state government will have the authority to declare certain localities as “disturbed areas.” Once notified, restrictions can be imposed, including a ban on the buying and selling of immovable property for up to three years. During this period, the entire locality can be brought under the ambit of the legislation. The bill will be tabled in the upcoming session of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.
The government has said the law is intended to prevent communal tensions arising from population imbalance and the concentration of a particular community in specific areas. Officials argue that unchecked migration and property transactions in sensitive localities often lead to social unrest, which the legislation seeks to prevent.
A press conference at the Chief Minister’s Office after the cabinet meeting was jointly addressed by Industries and Commerce Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel, and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sumit Godara. The ministers said the cabinet had approved the draft Rajasthan Prohibition of Transfer of Immovable Property and Provision for Protection of Tenants from Eviction from Premises in Disturbed Areas Bill, 2026.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel said, “situations of population imbalance adversely affect public order, harmony, and the community character of peaceful coexistence.” He said that during riots and incidents of mob violence, permanent residents in such areas are often forced to sell their properties at distress prices.
He said, “Under the proposed law, once an area is declared disturbed, the transfer of immovable property will be considered invalid and void without prior permission from the competent authority. Property transfers will be permitted only after obtaining such approval.”
Patel added that offences committed in violation of the bill’s provisions will be cognisable and non-bailable, with punishment ranging from three to five years’ imprisonment along with a fine.
He said the legislation aims to protect the properties of permanent residents and safeguard the rights of tenants in disturbed areas, while preserving communal harmony and the state’s social fabric.
Following the cabinet’s decision, the opposition Congress strongly criticised the BJP government over the proposed legislation. Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra described the move as an “attempt to legitimise government hooliganism” and alleged that it goes against the spirit of the Constitution.
Addressing a press conference in Jaipur on Wednesday, Dotasra described the current dispensation as a “government formed through a slip of paper” and claimed it does not function independently. He alleged the state government operates on instructions from Gujarat and Delhi, with key decisions taken accordingly.
“A slip of paper came from Gujarat and a law was enacted. This is neither the language of governance nor the language of the Constitution,” Dotasra said. He questioned the criteria on which the government would declare an area disturbed and determine population composition, arguing that no such provision exists in the Constitution.
The Congress leader said he feared the scope of the law could gradually expand. “Today an area will be declared disturbed, tomorrow a district, and the day after tomorrow, the entire democracy will be disturbed,” he said, calling it a conspiracy to weaken democratic institutions and concentrate power in the hands of officials.
Dotasra also pointed out that laws such as the Criminal Procedure Code, the Police Act and existing riot control provisions already empower the administration to maintain law and order. Despite this, he said, introducing such a law would create fear among investors and ordinary citizens.
In addition to the Disturbed Areas legislation, the cabinet also approved several policy initiatives. The Rajasthan Aerospace and Defence Policy–2025 was cleared, with the government saying it would promote defence and space technology and help position the state as a major hub for aerospace and defence manufacturing.
The cabinet also approved the state’s first Rajasthan Semiconductor Policy–2025, aimed at making Rajasthan a leading destination for semiconductor manufacturing, design, packaging and related electronics.