Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Complying with the Election Commission of India’s directive over transferring officers, the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor administration today ordered major reshuffle of civil and police officers by shifting deputy commissioners and police heads.
The LG administration relieved senior IPS officer R R Swain as CID (criminal investigation department of the police) DG a day after his successor Nalin Prabhat replaced him as Director General of Police. Prabhat was appointed by the ministry of home affairs as Special DG of Jammu and Kashmir police until the retirement of Swain on September 30 this year. He will take over the charge of DG police on October 1, 2024. This order technically appointed Prabhat to officiate as DG of the Jammu and Kashmir police.
Swain was recently confirmed as DG police, the charge he held since November 2023 as Incharge. He was also DG CID from June 2020, but was replaced today by IPS officer Nitish Kumar who was working as IG CID from March 2023.
The LG administration on Thursday night transferred 89 civil officers including deputy commissioners of Poonch, Bandipora, secretaries of dozens of departments, commissioners, director generals, managing directors, and directors of several departments. These officers held these postings for more than three years or while posted in their home districts.
On Friday morning, the LG administration ordered transfers and posting of DIsG, SSsP. IPS officer Maqsood ul Zaman has been posted as DIG north Kashmir range, while the SSsP of Shopian, Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Jammu, Poonch, Kathua, Dodo, Rajouri, Poonch and Ganderbal have been transferred and new officers posted in these districts.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) had on July 28 directed the Chief electoral officers and chief secretaries of Jammu and Kashmir that officers directly connected with the conduct of elections in an election-going State/UT are not posted in their home districts or places where they have served for considerably long periods or posted in home districts.
"Hence, the Commission has decided that no officer connected directly with elections shall be allowed to continue in the present district (revenue district) of posting if she/he has completed three years in that district during the last four (4) years or would be completing 3 years on or before 30th September., 2024 for UT of Jammu and Kashmir, 31st October 2024 for Haryana, 30th November 2024 for Maharashtra and 31 December. 2024 for Jharkhand," the ECI had said.
The ECI last week conducted a two days visit to Jammu and Kashmir where it met the political parties, civil and police administration and security officials for reviewing elections preparations. The poll body is scheduled to address a press conference at 3 pm in New Delhi where it may announce the schedule for assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir has been without an elected government since June 2018 when the last elected government of PDP-BJP fell after the BJP withdrew its support to Mehbooba Mufti. President's rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir for six months which was later extended after the BJP-led government abrogated Article 370 and divided Jammu and Kashmir into two UTs. From August 5, 2019, JK is administered by an LG and his lone advisor.
Political parties have been demanding the holding of assembly elections while people also seek elected representatives so that their issues are addressed.
NC Reacts:
The National Conference sharply reacted to the administrative reshuffle with party vice president Omar Abdullah suspecting a “biased intent” by the LG Manoj Sinha led administration.
“That the J&K administration had to call officers in the secretariat & police HQ to work on Independence Day to order this massive reshuffle tells me they had absolutely NO CLUE that the ECI would be announcing poll dates today. All the more reason that the @ECISVEEP should look at this transfer order from the prism of a free & fair poll. @JKNC_ suspects a biased intent on the part of the @OfficeOfLGJandK,” Omar wrote in a post on X.
"Why has a massive reshuffle been ordered in the police and administration since last evening, and today morning, seemingly to preempt the Election Commission’s announcement? It appears to have been orchestrated by a BJP-appointed LG to benefit his party and its allies.
This move seems clearly intended to undermine the integrity of the electoral process, which restricts such transfers to prevent the ruling party from gaining an undue administrative advantage over the opposition. The LG government has strategically shaken up the entire administrative setup compromising the principles of free and fair elections. We call on the @ECISVEEP to thoroughly investigate this blatant attempt and to immediately suspend the implementation of these orders, " party spokesperson Ali Mohammad Sagar said.
