SRINAGAR, Apr 03, KDC: In a significant escalation between the Jammu and Kashmir government and Raj Bhawan, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has strongly opposed the transfer of 48 JKAS officials ordered on April 1.
Sources told news agency Kashmir Dot Com that in letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Omar termed the move “illegal” and not approved by the “competent authority,” his office.
Sources said the CM accused Raj Bhawan of “encroaching” on the elected government’s authority and violating the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019, which mandates Council of Ministers’ approval for such transfers.
GA Mir of Congress on Thursday criticised Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s decision to order transfer of middle and lower-rung officers in the Union Territory, saying the latter should have awaited the approval of business rules before announcing his decision.
Mir, who also serves as the leader of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) in the J-K Assembly, said the government has already proposed the business rules and forwarded them to New Delhi for approval.
“Taking such a step was not advisable,” the Congress leader said, according to Kashmir Dot Com.
According to the current business rules, Mir said, “transfer of local JKAS officers falls under the chief minister’s domain”.
“The previous rules stipulated that local JKAS officers will be handled by the chief minister, while senior officers (IAS) will be transferred by the LG,” Mir said.
Mir also said the LG’s action, knowing that the business rules proposal is pending approval in Delhi, sent a wrong message about the state of affairs within the J-K administration.
This marks the second instance of mass transfers since J&K’s first elected government post-Article 370 abrogation. In November 2024, despite Omar’s directive to halt the transfer of 20 officials, the orders had been implemented.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will chair NC legislative party and allies meeting in Srinagar on April 4, Friday.
The meeting is being held in the wake of transfers of 48 KAS officers by the LG administration, highly placed sources said.(KDC)