Mufti government embarrassed over recommending 'retired ASP' as PSC member

◆Raj Bhawan returns panel with serious observations

 

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
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JAMMU, March 25: In its first major goof up after taking over on March 1 in the Indian-administered Jammu & Kashmir, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's PDP-BJP coaltion government has recommended a "retired additional Superintendent of Police" for the membership of the prestigious State Public Service Commission (PSC). It has been virtually turned down by Raj Bhawan which has raised serious questions over the way Mufti's government has laboured under favouritism in recommending members for the top Constitutional body.

Cabinet on March 15 had cleared six names to fill up some vacancies in the PSC which has become defunct after retirement of its Chairman and all the eight members in the last several years. Mufti's government had subsequently recommended six nominations to the Governor who is the competent authority to appoint Chairman and members for the autonomous body that makes selection of gazetted officers for the State government. While as the Chairman of PSC is by law equivalent to the rank and status of Chief Secretary, men and women of eminence in public service, not above 65 years of age, are normally appointed as members.

Currently Vice Chairman in J&K Lakes and Waterways Development Authority, Lateef-uz-Zamaan Deva, has been recomnended as Chairman. Sources said that Raj Bhawan, which had issued a special release of advice while rejecting the recommendations of Omar Abdullah government in December 2014, was not satisfied even with Mr Dev's nominations as being from 1984 batch of Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS), he is holding the rank of only a Secretary to government and is junior to dozens of senior IAS officers manning the higher positions of Commissioner-Secretary, Principal Secretary and Financial Commissioner.

Significantly, even a senior IAS officer of 1982 batch, Khursheed Ahmad Ganai, who is currently holding rank of FC (equivalent to Chief Secretary, has worked as additional Secretary in Union government and is due to retire later this year, failed to become PSC Chairman when Governor turned down Omar government's panel of nominees.

However, questions were not raised over Mr Deva's nomination by Mufti government as he has retained reputation of an upright officer and is known for honesty and integrity. Mr Deva has been inducted into IAS with effect from the year 2002.

Rishi Kumar Dogra, G.R. Bhagat, Prof. Mushtaq Wani, retired academic Indu Kilam and retired KAS officer Munshi Muzaffar Hussain have been recommended as members by the Mufti government.

Questioning the "due diligence" of the General Administration Department (GAD), which functions directly under the control of Chief Secretary and Chief Minister, Governor is said to have pointed out how even the junior officials with no significant contribution to public or civil service have also been recommended for appointment. Highly placed official sources revealed that the Governor's observation was based on a "heap of complaints" received by Raj Bhawan.

In some of the complaints, it has been highlighted that Rishi Kumar Dogra had joined the feeding stream of Kashmir Police Service as Dy SP in 1984 when he was in service as a teacher. He remained "absconding" for about 11 years when he was posted as Dy SP District Armed Reserve in Leh. His services were subsequently terminated by the government .

However, during Mufti's government in 2003, Mr Dogra surfaced with a submission and court order that he may be taken back into the government. With a break of 12 years in his service, he was allowed to join back and posted on a vacancy of Dy SP in Sher-e-Kashmir Police Academy Udhampur. Director of academy, Mr Masood Chowdhary, upon retirement and appointment as Vice Chancellor Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, got Mr Dogra on deputation as Officer on Special Duty in the University. He held office at the university's Jammu office at Sainik Colony. It has been pointed out by the complainants that Mr Dogra, who was neither "Professor" nor held a sensitive government position where his integrity could be at test, retired only as an additional SP.

It has been pointed out in one of the complaints that after his retirement as a junior rung State officer, G.R. Bhagat had publicly joined a political party. Photographs of the National Conference workers putting garlands on Mr Bhagat at Sher-e Kashmir Bhawan of Jammu, have been mailed to Raj Bhawan. However, Mr Bhagat is on record to have contradicted his joining any political party.

According to knowledgeable sources, to avoid further embarrassment, Government was likely to push only Mr Deva's nomination as Chairman. "A fresh panel is likely to be cleared by the Cabinet and submitted to Raj Bhawan", said a source who insisted that "extensive lobbying" was going on in favour of and against different individuals. Governor N.N. Vihra is understood to have made it clear that any nominations based merely on somebody's political or bureaucratic clout, would not be endorsed. "Parameters of merit, integrity, competence and public reputation, as laid down in different Supreme Court judgments and ordere in the last few years for such appointments, will be strictly adhered to", said a senior Raj Bhawan source.

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