B R Sharma, finally appoionted as PSC Chief

JAMMU: Sixteen days after its hurried order and its subsequent withdrawal within hours embarrassed the administration, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday re-appointed B R Sharma, former IAS Officer, as Chairman of Public Service Commission (JKPSC) for the Union Territory, after it received the requisite approval from Centre.
Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu has appointed B R Sharma as PSC Chairman who shall hold the position of the Chairman, Public Service Commission till he attains the age of sixty two years, said an official notification issued today.
The LG has made the appointment “in exercise of powers conferred by section 93 of Jammu & Kashmir Re-organisation Act, 2019 and S.0. 3937 (E) dated 3Ist October 2019, read with order issued in terms of sub clause(i) of clause (C ) of the proclamation issued by the President dated 31st October 2019,” it said.
The Jammu and Kashmir government on May 5 had ordered appointment of Sharma as the PSC Chairman only to withdraw the order within hours as he was then serving as Chairman of Staff Selection Commission a top position to which he had got two years extension only on April 20 by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The 1984-batch IAS officer of Jammu and Kashmir retired from the service on April 30.
After Centre raised objections over it, the J&K government wrote to the Department of Personnel and Trainings (DOPT) to relieve Sharma of the charge he was holding at New Delhi and with the green signal from Centre, a fresh order of appointment was issued today, official sources said.
Sharma, who served as Chief Secretary of J&K and was the most senior IAS officer of Jammu and Kashmir when he retired, had proceeded on central deputation in 2017 after he was replaced by BB Vyas as the top bureaucrat in the erstwhile State.
During his stint at New Delhi, Sharma served additional secretary, MHA, secretary (border management) MHA and chairman Staff Selection Commission.
This is for the first time when JKPSC head has been appointed under the provisions of Constitution of India whose all provisions were made applicable to J&K on August 5 last year.
Under the Constitution of India, chairman and members of the Commission shall hold office for a term of six years from the date on which he enters upon his office or until he attains the age of sixty-two years, whichever is earlier.
However, under the J&K Constitution, chairman and member of the commission were empowered to hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office or until he attains the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier.
The PSC was functioning without chairman and members from October 31, 2019 when Jammu & Kashmir got divided into two Union Territories. Citing the J&K Re- Organisation (Removal of Difficulties) Order 2019, the government in November last year ordered that chairman and members of PSC shall cease to function from October 31.
The PSC is mandated to conduct recruitment for prestigious gazette services including Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS), Kashmir Police Service (KPS) and other coveted services.