36 retd officials reemployed since 2015, despite 2013-ban

SRINAGAR: Despite a blanket ban on re-employment of retired officials imposed five years ago, the present coalition government has reemployed thirty-six retired officials since 2015.

The reemployed officials include former bureaucrats and judges who have been appointed in different commissions and bodies. These re-employments have been made amid huge unemployment of educated youths in the state.

In April, 2013, then NC-Congress cabinet imposed a blanket ban on the re-employment/re-engagement of government officials and also terminated all re-employed/re-engaged in government departments/ public sector undertakings/autonomous boards were terminated vide a government order dated March 17, 2015.

However, the succeeding PDP-BJP government disrespected the order and re-employed 36 retired officials and judges between 2015 and 2017.

The officials have been re-appointed in various state commissions, including 11 in the Public Service Commission, two in the State Vigilance Commission, two in the State Information Commission, four in the State Accountability Commission, four in the State Human Rights Commission, three in the Jammu and Kashmir State Commission for Backward Classes and three in the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

The officials include Chairman Public Service Commission Abdul Latief U Zaman Deva, members Jaipal Singh, Ali Asghar Choudhary, Prof (Dr) Posh Charak, Prof Mushtaq Ahmad Wani, Er Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, Suresh Kumar Sharma, Tsering Angchok, Lal Chand and Tashi Dorgee.

Former IAS officer Parvez Khateeb has been re-appointed as Technical member (State) in the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal this year, while Mohammad Ashraf Bukhari who is BOPEE Chairman has been re-employed in 2016.

In State Human Rights Commission, the government has re-employed Justice (retd) Bilal Nazki as Chairperson in 2016, Jang Bahadur Singh (retd) judge in 2016, Dilshad Shaheeh former Special Secretary Home and Abdul Hamid Wani, former IAS officer in 2017.

In the State Vigilance Commission, retired IPS P L Gupta has been re-employed as Chief Vigilance Commission and former IAS officer, Gazanfar Hussain as Vigilance Commissioner in 2017.

Former IAS officer Khurshid Ahmad Ganaie was re-employed as State Chief Information Commissioner in 2017, while Mohammad Ashraf Mir who retired as commissioner Revenue was re-employed in 2017 as State Information Commission.

In State Accountability Commission, the government re-employed Jutice (retd) Bashir Ahmad Khan as Chairperson in 2015 while Justice (Retd) B A Kirmani was re-employed as its member in the same year. And Khaliq-ul-Zaman (retd) Distirct Judge has been re-employed as Principal Secretary to the SAC Chairperson in 2013 and was further extended in 2017.

Another retired government official, Shakti Singh Jamwal has been appointed as Consultant in the Planning, Monitoring and Development department in 2017.

Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, Munshi Zulfkar, Nisar Ahmad Allaqaband, Mohd Asgar Beig, Andul Khaliq Mirza, Ghulam Mohd Rather, Tarseem Chand and A K Malhotra have been reemployed as Public Prosecutors in the Anti-corruption courts for the courts of Additional District and Sessions Judge in Baramulla, Anantnag, Kathua and Pulwama.

In the State Commission for Backward Classes, Jeet Lal Gupta, former Commissioner to government, has been re-employed as its Chairperson while Gh Nabi Bodha, former Director Social Welfare and Haidar Badana, ex-SSP, were re-employed its members last year. In the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Justice (retd) Sunil Halli was re-employed in 2017 as its president while Davinder Kumar Kapoor, retired judge and Sabina Jan, ex-member of District Consumer Forum were appointed its members in 2017.

As per the official documents made available by the General Administration Department in Civil Secretariat in repose to an RTI query, the salary and allowances to these officials is on a par with the scale and grade as given by the different commissions, besides travelling allowances as well as accommodation as per the government rules for the regular employees.