A large-scale administrative reshuffle has been made in Jammu and Kashmir. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has ordered the transfer and appointment of 48 officers of JK Administrative Service (JKAS), making administrative reshuffle in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This step may create a stir in the National Conference (NC)-led government in Jammu and Kashmir.
This reshuffle made by the Lieutenant Governor is being seen as an attempt to control the bureaucracy in the Union Territory. Lieutenant Governor Sinha ordered the transfer of 48 officers of Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service including 14 Additional Deputy Commissioners, 26 Sub-Divisional Magistrates.
Transfer in many districts including Srinagar-Pulwama
LG Manoj Sinha ordered transfer and new appointment of additional Deputy Commissioners in Srinagar, Ganderbal, Kupwara, Pulwama, Basohli, Doda, Sundarbani, Rajouri, Anantnag, Naushera, Bhadarwah, Kathua, Baramulla and Handwara.
The order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) on Tuesday is given at a time when the elected government of the Union Territory was waiting for approval from the Union Home Ministry for the Rules made about a month ago. This work manual was sent to the Lieutenant Governor for approval for smooth operation without any deadlock.
It is necessary to make work rules: CM Omar
Prior to the much awaited assembly elections conducted last year in Jammu and Kashmir, the Ministry of Home Affairs had changed the operations rules in July, in which the power of the Lieutenant Governor was increased in matters related to police, public system services, IAS and IPS in matters related to all India services and prosecution approval.
Last month, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah responded to the motion of thanks to the Lieutenant Governor’s address in the Assembly on 6 March, saying, “Until we get the status of full state back again, it is necessary to establish the work rules for no obstruction. However, it took some time, but at 8 pm we called the cabinet meeting and finalized the work rules. The cabinet also gave it to it.”
Then he also said that these rules have been sent to the Lieutenant Governor for approval and it is expected that this approval will be received soon. However, CM Omar Abdullah has already criticized the double governance model in the Union Territory. He called it disastrous.