Congress criticises Jammu and Kashmir LG's decision to transfer 48 JKAS officers

Jammu: The Congress on Thursday criticised Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's decision to order transfer of middle and lower-rung officers in the Union Territory, saying the latter should have awaited the approval of business rules before announcing his decision.

In a move seen by many as an attempt to take full control of the bureaucracy, the lieutenant governor (LG) ordered the transfer of 48 middle and lower-rung Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officers, including 14 additional deputy commissioners and 26 sub-divisional magistrates.

The order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) on Tuesday came at a time when the National Conference-led government was waiting for a nod from the Union home ministry for the business rules it framed about a month ago and sent to the LG for approval to facilitate smooth governance without confusion.

J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has convened a joint meeting of the coalition legislators in Srinagar on Friday where the issue is likely to be discussed.

"The chief minister has called for a joint legislative party meeting of coalition partners in Srinagar at 11 am tomorrow. The issue of transfers is likely to be discussed although the agenda for the meeting has not been conveyed so far.

"It would have been advisable for the LG to wait a while as the business rules are pending approval. The LG should have been more patient," Gulam Ahmed Mir, national general secretary of the Congress, said.

Mir, who also serves as the leader of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) in the J-K Assembly, said the government has already proposed the business rules and forwarded them to New Delhi for approval.

"Taking such a step was not advisable," the Congress leader said.

According to the current business rules, Mir said, "transfer of local JKAS officers falls under the chief minister's domain".

"The previous rules stipulated that local JKAS officers will be handled by the chief minister, while senior officers (IAS) will be transferred by the LG," Mir said.

Mir also said the LG's action, knowing that the business rules proposal is pending approval in Delhi, sent a wrong message about the state of affairs within the J-K administration.

"It has sent a wrong message that everything is not well (within the administration). The LG knew it well that the proposal for business rules is under consideration, yet he took this step," Mir said.