early times report
jammu, Feb 9: The Union Territory administration has set into motion the process of shifting annual Darbar from winter to summer capital thereby signaling towards putting under carpet the suggestions made by High Court regarding discontinuance of the process, which incurred an expenditure of over Rs 200 crores to financially strained UT's exchequer.
A bench of the then Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rajnesh Oswal of JK High Court in the first week of May 2020 had listed several reasons why the shifting of civil secretariat and other government offices between the two capitals of erstwhile state should be discontinued. Referring towards the fiscal health of the state, the HC bench had questioned how the government could afford the annual expenditure of at-least Rs 200 crores to continue an exercise, originated in 1872 that too in a fiscally deprived UT with severe underdevelopment and people deprived of bare basics.
However after lapse of around one year, there was no change in the stance of government and the issuance of notification, titled, "Allotment of residential accommodation in favour of officers/officials moving to Srinagar in connection with Annual Durbar Move-2021 (Summer session May-October), gave ample references that the practice would remain intact and HC directions have not been adhered to so far."
Deputy Director Estates Kashmir, Mohammad Aslam said that as per recent notification the government has sought requisition from the officials, employees to provide accommodation to move employees in Srinagar for summer session. "Though a final decision is to be taken by the administration after March, but so far we have been instructed to look into the requirements of accommodation for all the employees as well as officials", the official said.
From the version of the Estate Department, it is explicitly clear that the practice of Durbar move would continue as it was post abrogation of Article-370.
"With change of status of state, new administration in place and following suggestions by High Court, speculations were rife that the practice of Durbar move, which involves huge expenditure would discontinue and some new arrangements would be made but given the ongoing developments it is amply clear that there would be no letup in the practice", an employee of Civil Secretariat said.
Even the Omar Abdullah led government had also raised questions over the futility of Durbar move, while UT govt's order issued on April 17, postponing the formal opening of darbar in Srinagar from May 4 to June 15 had also raised apprehensions about the discontinuance of practice. |
