The talk of the new administration doing away with the archaic practice of darbar move has again started doing rounds. Barely weeks after the capital shifted to Jammu, unconfirmed reports suggest that the administration was not only mulling to end the decades old practice conceptualized by the Dogra rulers but the manpower of some of the offices that used to change headquarter with the shifting of the civil secretariat, will be divided as well. The rationale for scrapping the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was to remove the roots of the ‘statusquoist’ social, political and economic structures that have benefitted out of the political turmoil and insurgency, especially in Kashmir valley. The ‘bold move’ taken on August 5 has been self-confessedly targeted at unsettling the vested interest that is being held responsible for blocking the social and economic development of the border state. While it will not be proper to us to pass a judgment on the functioning of the new system with just little more than three months having passed. However, the countdown has started already. The first half of November is coming to an end. From last so many years, there has been a debate in Jammu and Kashmir about the pros and cons of the Dogra era practice. While some are in favor of the move that was designed by the autocrat rulers to escape the harsh winters in the Valley, their detractors have not minced words in putting up a defense of their beliefs that the practice must come to an end. There is no doubt that the ‘Darbar Move’ is an archaic practice which defies common sense. Not only does it cost the state economically but it puts a lot of burden on the administration as well which hampers the process of governance. In times when technology is making rapid advances, J&K can’t afford to continue with this medieval practice. Although there will be resentment in Jammu region where traders accrue lot of benefits during the time when Darbar moves to the winter capital, the new system can’t allow politics and few vested interests to dictate what is good and what is bad for the state. At least two peak months are lost in transition between summer and winter capitals. It’s time to put an end to this practice for good. Rumours are doing rounds among the employees that the beginning of the New Year will bring the dawn of new system where Darbar move will be a thing of the past. We can only hope that these rumours turn out to be true.