Parvez Malik
SRINAGAR, Jan 20: Resentment is brewing amongst the stakeholders in the Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council for its inability to hold elections to the post of Joint Secretary, more than six months since the incumbent body was put in place.
After the existing Council came into being, the elections to the posts of Secretary and Joint Secretary were not conducted. While Dilip Thussu, an engineer of the State Government was posted as the Secretary State Sports Council a few months prior to the constitution of the Council and was asked to continue, elections to the joint secretary were also withheld as the then Minister for Youth Services and Sports R S Chib proposed that Siddharth Sharma, who was the Joint Secretary in the previous Council be allowed to continue till the elections to the post were held at a later date. However, more than six months since then, elections have not been held and Siddharth Sharma has continued to hold on to the chair unconstitutionally. "He is holding the office of the Joint Secretary for the third consecutive term in violation of Council's own norms. Further, he is the principal office bearer of the J&K Billiards and Snooker association for the third consecutive term, again in violation of norms of the State Sports Council of which he is the Joint Secretary," said a former member of the Council.
Sharma in particular has invited the wrath of the employees of the Council and few sitting and former members for his inability to address the issues of the employees and even fulfil his official obligations as the Joint Secretary. "Joint Secretary had a huge responsibility in the given preposition when the Secretary had no sports background, but his inability, indifference and inaction in issues of vital importance has impelled the employees to go to court against the council administration for several issues," said an office bearer of the association of council employees, adding, "He has never reached out to the employees to understand their grievances or issues and has used office of the Joint secretary merely to further his PR".
Accusing him of securing the Chair through his political connections, Officers of the Council have questioned his report card in the Council for three consecutive terms and have demanded immediate elections to the post of Joint Secretary so that a competent and motivated person with new set of ideas can be delegated the responsibility and the representative character of the Council can also be restored to an extent. |
