27 political appointees demit office

SRINAGAR: Barring the Vice-Chairman of Wakf Board whose appointment is regulated by a separate act, all the others political appointees have demitted their office, 25 by way of resignations- all of them accepted by the Governor, while services of two were terminated earlier this week.

“In tune with the provisions of the Standing Operating Procedure (SoP) issued vide Govt Order No: 299-GAD of 2016 dated: 01.04.2016, twenty-five political appointees have submitted their resignation which have been accepted by the Governor,” an official spokesperson said.

Pertinently, during the previous government 28 persons were engaged as Chairperson/Vice Chairperson/Deputy Chairmen of various Boards/Corporations/PSUs in the State.

Immediately after the imposition of the Governor’s Rule last month, the State Government had asked all the Administrative Departments to implement the provisions of Standing Operating Procedure which inter-alia provide resignation of members/ chairpersons of various statutory/non-statutory Boards and Organizations. The Standing Operating Procedure was reiterated by the General Administration Department (GAD) on June 21.

The Government today said that out of the 28 incumbents, 25 have submitted their resignation which have been accepted by the Governor while the appointment of Vice Chairperson, J&K Advisory Board for the Development of Gujjars & Bakerwals and Vice Chairperson, J&K Agro Industries Development Corporation were terminated on July 9.

The Government said that in all, 27 political appointments have come to an end, which include Vice Chairpersons of J&K Cements Limited, J&K State Industrial Development Corporation, J&K Industries Limited, Handicrafts (S&E) Corporation, J&K Handloom Development Corporation, J&K Khadi and Village Industries Board, J&K Minerals Limited, J&K Small Scale Industries Development Corporation, J&K Tourism Development Corporation, J&K Medical Supplies Corporation, J&K Project Construction Corporation, J&K Cable Car Corporation, J&K Horticulture Development Board, J&K Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, J&K Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribe and Backward Classes Development Corporation, J&K Women’s Development Corporation, J&K State Road Transport Corporation, J&K Horticulture Produce Marketing & Processing Corporation, JAKFED, J&K State Advisory Board for Development of Kissans, J&K State Social Welfare Board, J&K State Advisory Board for the Development of Other Backward Classes, J&K State Advisory Board for Development of Pahari Speaking People, J&K State Advisory Board for Development of Scheduled Castes, J&K Agro Industries
Only the Vice-Chairman of Wakf Board is yet to demit office as his appointment is regulated by Section-9 of the Jammu and Kashmir Specified Wakafs and Specified Wakaf Properties (Management and Regulation) Act, 2004.