Srinagar, Sept 29: In an unusual development, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and Law Secretary Achal Sethi have written separate letters to the Legislative Assembly Secretariat, seeking that a resolution on restoration of statehood not be taken up, NDTV reported.
The letters were sent three days after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah moved the resolution, which was subsequently admitted by the House.
According to NDTV, the bureaucrats cited the matter being sub judice as a reason for opposing the resolution and urged the Assembly Secretariat to disallow it.
Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather told NDTV that there was no precedent for the bureaucracy writing to the Assembly Secretariat in such a manner.
Rather said that sending such a communication without the approval of the minister concerned amounted to an attempt to undermine the functioning of the House.
“I don’t think there is any precedent, bureaucracy writing to the Assembly secretariat to scuttle the business of the House. That too without the approval of the minister concerned,” the Speaker told NDTV.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the Law portfolio, said he had no prior information about the letters and learnt about them only after being informed by the Assembly Secretariat.
Speaking in the Assembly, Omar questioned how officials could send an opinion on a resolution moved by him without his knowledge.
“Speaker sir, I’m the Law Minister and also Chief Minister but I have no knowledge of my bureaucracy sending an opinion to you on my resolution. I do not know on whose instructions it was sent,” Omar said, according to NDTV.
The Chief Minister linked the episode to Jammu and Kashmir’s present status as a Union Territory, arguing that the absence of full statehood had resulted in a situation where the elected government did not exercise complete authority over the bureaucracy.
The development came as the Assembly was debating the resolution seeking restoration of statehood. The BJP had walked out of the House during the proceedings.
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