Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 20: High Court has stayed the orders whereby respondents have changed the working time in Government offices in Jammu province.
The order was passed in a petition filed by Jammu Kashmir Ladakh All Departments Clerical Staff Association.
During the course of hearing Senior Advocate BS Salathia along with Advocates Anchit Sharma, Rakesh Manhas and Bhanu Singh Salathia submitted that Government vide Order No. 10-GAD of 1985 dated 1.1.1985 prescribed the working hours of Government offices in the State. For Jammu Division, the timings fixed for the period commencing from 1st of May to 30th of September was 8 am to 1.30 pm and from 1st of October to 30th of April was fixed at 10 am to 4 pm.
This was followed by the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, who, by virtue of his order dated 17.4.2017 confirmed the same except to the extent that instead of 8 am to 1.30 pm, the timing was fixed till 2 pm during the summer days. However, Chief Engineer, Electric Maintenance and RE Wing, Jammu vide his circular dated 4.5.2017 fixed working hours from 10 am to 4 pm.
Similarly, Chief Conservator of Forests vide his communication dated 3.5.2017, Director, Social Welfare Department, Jammu vide his order dated 9.5.2017 and Deputy Commissioner, Jammu vide his order dated 2.5.2017 followed a schedule of Chief Engineer EM&RE.
“They don’t have any authority to tinker with the time schedule, which was fixed by the Government in the year 1985 and reiterated and followed by the Divisional Commissioner”, Advocate Salathia said.
After hearing counsels for the petitioners and Senior AAG Seema Shekhar for the Government, Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur issued notice to State and others and granted one weeks’ time to file objections. In the meantime, subject to objections and till next date of hearing, the orders impugned were stayed.
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