Govt reshuffles counsels’ deptts | AG gets FCS&CA, AAG Padroo gets key deptts

JAMMU: Less than a week after it warned senior government lawyers of disciplinary action, including cancellation of appointment, for their non-appearance in courts to represent it, the state government on Thursday affected a major reallocation of different departments to these law officers including Advocate General, Senior Additional Advocates General and Additional Advocates General.

For the Jammu wing of High Court, the role and responsibilities of Tribal Affairs department, Information Technology and Animal Husbandry Department has been assigned to Seema Khajuria, Senior Additional Advocate General, who was earlier looking after Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs department.

Senior Additional Advocate General H A Sidiqui who was earlier holding the responsibilities of Health and Medical Education Department and Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary affairs is now being assigned the Information Technology Department; whereas Amit Chopra, Government Advocate,

who earlier held the responsibility of JK Housing Board, is now allocated the Animal Husbandry Department.

For the Srinagar wing of the high court, Advocate General Jahangir Iqbal Ganai has been assigned with the role and responsibility of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department which was earlier assigned to Asif Ahmad Bhat, Advocate General; whereas the role and responsibilities of key departments including Forest Ecology & Environment, Housing & Urban Development, Architect Organization and Town Planning Organization Aasifa Paddro, Additional Advocate General.

Information Department, earlier with Wasim Sadiq Additional Advocate General, has now been allocated to Majid Aftab Wani, Additional Advocate General, whereas Bashir Ahmad Dar, Senior Advocate General, has been given the Estates Department.

In another order, the Law Department has assigned Ms Puja Choudhary, Additional Advocate General before Supreme Court to the role and responsibilities of Agriculture Production, Cooperative, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Labour & Employment and Ladakh Affairs Department.

The new allocation of departments will be in addition to the Departments already in possession of these Government Counsels.