Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 15: State Accountability Commission, which is lying defunct during the past over one year, is all set to become functional once again as a committee headed by Chief Minister is going to finalize the names for the posts of Chairperson and Members of this vital Commission on September 17.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that a committee comprising Chief Minister as Chairman and Speaker of Legislative Assembly, Chief Justice of State High Court, Law Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly as Members is scheduled to meet at 5 pm on September 17 to finalize the names for the posts of Chairperson and Members of the State Accountability Commission.
The committee, which as per the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir State Accountability Commission Act, 2002, has the mandate to make appointments for head and members of the SAC, would consider the names recommended by the Cabinet Sub-Committee.
According to the sources, the Cabinet Sub-Committee has recommended names of two retired Chief Justices of the High Courts namely Bilal Nazki and Permod Kohli for appointment as Chairperson of the Accountability Commission. However, former Chief Justice Bilal Nazki is the only choice for the Chairperson of Accountability Commission as Justice Permod Kohli has already decided not to take up this assignment. Bilal Nazki had retired as Chief Justice of Orissa High Court after serving as Judge of Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh and Bombay High Courts.
For the members of the Commission, the Cabinet Sub-Committee has recommended the names of retired Judges of the State High Court namely J P Singh, B L Bhat, Bashir Ahmed Kirmani and Sunil Hali, sources said, adding the names to be finalized by the committee would then be forwarded to the Governor for formal appointment by warrant under his hand and seal.
“In this way, the Accountability Commission is all set to become functional after a gap of more than one year”, sources said while disclosing that the Commission had become defunct on August 20, 2014 when the then Chairperson of the Commission Justice (retd) Y P Nargotra and Member Justice (retd) H Imtiyaz Hussain had completed their three years term as per the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir State Accountability Commission Act, 2002.
With the revival of the Accountability Commission, the complaints of corruption and maladministration involving public functionaries would get required focus as the Commission has the mandate to enquire into such complaints against Chief Minister or any Minister, any Member of State Legislature, Chairman or Vice-Chairman or a member of a local authority, Vice-Chancellor or Registrar of University established or deemed to have been established by law made by the State Legislature.
Unlike previous Chairpersons and Members of the Accountability Commission, new Chairperson and Members would hold office for a period of five years from the date on which they enter upon their office or until they attain the age of 75 years, whichever is earlier, as in the month of April this year, the PDP-BJP Government carried out amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir State Accountability Commission Act in this regard.
Revival of defunct Accountability Commission was also the commitment of the Coalition Government made in the Agenda of Alliance.
It is pertinent to mention here that Accountability Commission was constituted to eradicate the vice of corruption, favouritism, nepotism or lack of integrity besides to maintain probity, transparency and improving the efficiency in public services.
Notwithstanding its significance, the Accountability Commission always received less importance from the respective Governments. It is hoped that present Government would allow this Commission to function strictly as per the provisions of the Act.
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