Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, June 19: While taking serious view of ignoring employees from erstwhile State of J&K deputed in Union Territory of Ladakh in promotions by various Administrative Departments, the General Administrative Department (GAD) of the Jammu and Kashmir has directed all the Administrative Secretaries of various departments to review such cases without any further delay.
Official sources said that the General Administration Department of Jammu and Kashmir UT in an order issued today said that it has come to the notice that some Administrative Departments are issuing promotion orders in respect of officers/ officials, presently working in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, excluding employees who continue to serve on the corresponding posts in the Union Territory of Ladakh , after reorganization of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.
” The issue was also raised in the meeting of the Committee constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, to ensure the time bound apportionment (division) of assets and liabilities between the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh,” the sources added.
The GAD order further said that in terms of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the officers/officials who are provisionally serving in connection with the affairs of the Union Territory of J&K and UT of Ladakh, are to be considered for promotions as per eligibility, by the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir notwithstanding allocation of posts to the UT of Ladakh, against the combined cadre strength/ vacancies, till final apportionment of employees, as per the options received in terms of the Re-organisation Act.
” Any such promotions effected with exclusion of employees serving in the UT of Ladakh, pending final allocation of the Union Territory to them, are in contravention to the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act- 2019 and hence not legally viable. Such promotions need to be reviewed accordingly,” the Government order observed.
The GAD directive asked all the Administrative Departments to take note of existing rule position and consider all the employees continuing their services in the Union Territory of Ladakh, for grant of promotions against combined cadre strength and seniority, till final allocation of employees of the erstwhile J&K State is made by the competent authority in terms of J&K Reorganisation Act 2019.
The Government order clearly said, ” The promotions made, if any, by exclusion of employees serving in the UT of Ladakh, be reviewed immediately, being violative of rules.”
It is pertinent to mention here that the deadline for apportionment of employees of the erstwhile State of J&K between the UTs of J&K and Ladakh is over, but this vital exercise is yet awaited, with the result the UT of Ladakh is facing immense difficulties in ensuring smooth functioning of administration. Though the distribution of assets and liabilities of the erstwhile State between the UTs of J&K and Ladakh has almost been completed but the distribution of employees is still pending. Till date about 19500 posts of various ranks/ cadre have been given to the UT of Ladakh UT but proper segregation of manpower has not been conducted by the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Chief Secretary of J&K had earlier fixed a deadline of March 31, 2021 to complete this exercise. The GAD had been directed to prepare a proposal and submit the same before the competent authority. Now, even after two and half months time, the same exercise could not be completed, the sources added.
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