*May face disciplinary action under Declaration of Assets Act
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 18: For the first time in the recent history of the State administration, the Government has issued show cause notices to 50 Jammu and Kashmir State Administrative Service (KAS) officers for openly defying the directions regarding submission of Annual Returns of the Assets. They have been directed to explain the reasons for non-compliance failing which these officers may face disciplinary action under Declaration of Assets and Other Provision Act, 1983.
The Sub-Section (2) of Section 9 of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Men and Public Servants Declaration of Assets and Other Provision Act, 1983 casts a duty upon every public servant to submit Annual Returns of the Assets held by him and his family members in the month of January every year and indicate the reasons for increase, if any, in the assets and sources. This is aimed at ensuring check on amassing of assets by the Government servants disproportionate to their known source(s) of income.
Keeping this in view vide Notice No.GAD(Vig)01-APRs/KAS/2012 dated February 19, 2016, all the officers were advised to furnish the Annual Property Returns for the year 2015 to the General Administration Department by or before February 23, 2016. The officers were also made it clear that in the event of failure on their part, action as warranted under rules would be taken against them.
Against sanctioned strength of 515 KAS officers, 465 officers responded to the directives by furnishing the Annual Property Returns. However, 50 KAS officers have defied the directions of the General Administration Department by not submitting the Property Return for the year ending December 2015. As such they have become liable for disciplinary action in terms of Section 5 of the J&K Public Men and Public Servants Declaration of Assets and Other Provisions Act, 1983.
Taking serious note of non-compliance of the directives, the General Administration Department, which is the controlling authority for the KAS officers, has issued show-cause notices to these 50 officers asking them to explain their position for not submitting the Annual Property Return for the year ending December 2015.
These officers have been asked to furnish reply to the show-cause notices within a period of 21 days from today failing which action as warranted under Section 11 of J&K Public Men and Public Servants Declaration of Assets and Other Provisions Act, 1983 and Sub-Rule (2) & (3) of Rule 6 of the J&K Public Men and Public Servants Declaration of Assets and Other Provisions Rules, 1998 will be taken against them.
It is pertinent to mention here that Section 11 of J&K Public Men and Public Servants Declaration of Assets and Other Provisions Act states: “If any public servant without any reasonable cause fails to submit the return annually, he shall be guilty of committing criminal misconduct as specified under Prevention of Corruption Act”.
The 50 defaulting KAS officers are Rukhsana Gani, Member J&K Service Selection Board; Asif Hamid Khan, awaiting orders of adjustment in the General Administration Department; Mukhtar Ul Aziz, Director Libraries; Gazanffer Ali, Director Handicrafts; Abdul Rashid War, Director CAPD Kashmir; Gulzar Ahmad Dar, Deputy Labour Commissioner; Ali Afsar Khan, Member Service Selection Board; Tariq Ahmad Zargar, Mission Director Rashtriya Uchachatar Shiksha Abhiyan; Ghulam Mohammad Dar, Deputy Commissioner Shopian; Abdul Hafiz Shah, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara; Khurshid Ahmad, Additional Deputy Commissioner Bandipora; Nazir Ahmad Baba, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar; Mohammad Hanief, Additional Deputy Commissioner Doda; Nazir Ahmad Mir, CEO Tourism Development Authority Gulmarg; Urgain Loondup, CEO Tourism Development Authority Kargil; Ghulam Hassan Sheikh, Additional Deputy Commissioner Anantnag; Ashiq Hussain, Principal Revenue Training Institute Kashmir; Dr Nargis, Deputy Director, Handicrafts Kashmir; Syed Hanief Balkhi, SDM Srinagar East; Showkat Mehmood, Assistant Commissioner Development Jammu; Rifat Qureshi, Development Officer Handicrafts Kashmir; Fayaz Ahmad Banday, General Manager DIC Srinagar; Sharief Un-Nisa, Project Officer, Water Shed Srinagar; Zeenat Ara, Deputy Director Handicrafts (Hqr); Nissar Ahmad Nissar, SDM Pahalgam; Sultan Firdous, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Kupwara; Tatpar Joldan, SDM Khaltsi; Abdul Majeed Lone, Project Officer IWMP Pulwama; Zahoor Ahmad Magrey, Assistant Commissioner Development Budgam; Akhtar Hussain Qazi, Assistant Commissioner Development, Wage Employment, Kishtwar; Nissar Ahmad Zargar, Deputy Director CAPD Srinagar; Ahmad Hussain, Deputy Director Rural Sanitation Srinagar, Tsering Mutup, SDM Neyoma; Peerzada Zahoor Ahmad, Deputy Director Tourism Srinagar; Sumira Shamim, Deputy Director Quality Control Handicrafts Department; Syed Shabir Ahmad, Assistant Commissioner Revenue Anantnag; Mohammad Shafi Dar, Deputy Secretary, Information Technology Department; Ghulam Ahmad, Assistant Commissioner Revenue Baramulla; Wasim Raja Dar, Deputy Director Estates Srinagar; Hamida Akhter, SDM Pattan; Samar Naik, SDM Beerwah; Mohammad Aslam, SDM Dooru; Abdul Rashid Mir, Project Officer Wage Employment Kulgam; Abdul Qayoom Sheikh, SDM Gulmarg; Rifat Naseem, SDM Srinagar West; Mohammad Sadiq Akhoon, Project Officer Wage Employment, Kargil; Nazir Ahmed Kangoo, Deputy Director Disttrict Employment and Conselling Centre, Baramulla; Mohammad Yousaf Geelani, Project Officer Self Employment Anantnag; Rashida Akhter, Project Manager Self Employment Anantnag and Ghulam Mehdi, SDM Khairu.
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