| Wani retiring in Feb; 3 members left, Govt unable to find credible officers to head PSC | | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
JAMMU, Jan 13: Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) would be left with just three members including Chairman Shiban Lal Bhat by the end of next month i.e. February 2014.
Presently, the commission has four members including the Chairman. Ex-Secretary Higher Education Khazir Mohammad Wani, who was appointed as member of the commission on February 14, 2009 by Governor N.N. Vohra would complete stipulated five year term on February 14, 2014. If the Government decides to give him extension as has been the practice, it would be just for one month since he would cross the age bar of 65 years on March 5, 2014.
Wani's retirement would leave the commission with just three members. They include Kulbhushan Jandial, Masood Samoon and Chairman Shiban Lal Bhat. If Chairman Shiban Lal Bhat persists with the policy of advising the State Government especially Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Governor N.N. Vohra against appointing new members to the commission, only two members would be left after August 2014.
Masood Samoon would be 65 on August 6, 2014 and hence, would have to leave the commission, a month prior to the completion of his term in the office. He was appointed to the commission on September 9, 2009. Commission would then be left with Chairman S.L. Bhat and member Kulbhushan Jandial. Bhat's term would come to an end in 2014 while Jandial would be leaving the Commission in October 2014. He was appointed to the commission on October 30, 2009.
Jandial would be the last of the present members to leave the commission. It needs to be mentioned here that Chairman S.L. Bhat has repeatedly requested State Government not to send more members to the commission. If the insiders are to be believed, Bhat has advised against filling up all the vacancies, stating that the same was not required and if all the eight members are appointed, it would increase interference and reduce efficiency. The output would be same as it is today, sources maintain.
It needs to be mentioned here that Bhat had also reportedly written a letter to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah requesting not to send any more members as PSC does not have enough work load. However, NC-Congress coordination has been meeting and discussing the need for introducing some more faces in the high profile commission. Since a number of bureaucrats are retiring in the next six months, finding replacement of the outgoing members is likely to get easier, said a source.
Although, Constitution of J&K provided for only four members besides a chairman but in view huge backlog of posts, Government kept increasing the strength. The Commission's strength was increased by two posts of members vide SRO 479 of 1996 dated 31st December 1996. Again two more posts were added vide SRO 52 of 2007 dated 28th February, 2007. Ostensibly, it was for clearing the backlog.
Section 131 of the Constitution of J&K confers powers on the Governor to fix the strength of the Commission. The names of aspirants doing rounds in the political circles include Wali Mohammad, ex-DG Accounts, ex Director Health Services Dr. Jasbir Singh, retired IGP Qayoom Manhas, ex-Secretary Health Ghulam Ahmed Peer, Secretary ARI and Trainings Ghulam Hassan Tantry and ex-DG Fisheries T. Angchuck and Secretary Industries Farooq Factoo. |
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