Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
jammu, Aug 12: Following the footprints of their predecessor, the Ministers of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP)-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) coalition government, have also reportedly given free hand to their close officials, who instead of preferring talented professionals have been adjusting their relatives and trusted lieutenants on various posts.
One such case, involving posting of seven Standing Counsels, came to fore recently, when the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs issued orders of appointing Standing Counsels of various departments in District Doda.
On August 7, 2015, Law department vide Govt. order number 2251-LD(ESTT) of 2015, accorded sanction to extension to the term of engagement of Ather Usman Hashmi, Standing Counsel Forest Department, Chenab Circle Doda, from the date of his last term expired, for a further period of one year.
Sources informed that Usman Hashmi is brother of an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to a Minister of Peoples Democratic Party and on recommendations from his Minister, he pleaded case of his brothers to Law Minister for getting them appointed as Standing Counsel.
Moreover, the same OSD to Minister, got his other siblings (Advocates) all from district Doda, engaged as Standing Counsels for various departments.
These include, vide order number 2250-LD(A) of 2015, dated 7/8/2015, Syed Asim Hashmi Standing Counsel Education department, Syed Tehseenul Haq Power department, Mudassir Sheikh Assistant Drug Controller, Shoib Anayat Rural Development Department, Imtiyaz Hussain Hashmi, PHE department.
Sources said that Syed Asim Hashmi is real brother of OSD to Minister, while Syed Tehseenul Haq and Imtiyaz Hussain Hashmi are cousin brothers of OSD. Moreover, Swaran Singh was also appointed as Standing Counsel of Social Forestry, who was also reportedly closed to the same Hashmi family.
Sources informed Early Times that OSD to Minister, succeed to get his brothers engaged as Standing Counsels, after getting due favour from his Minister, who took up the matter with Law Minister, who in turn issued the orders, appointing Standing Counsels.
A senior Law officer, pleading not to be named said that all these were political posts and those who were close to power corridors, got themselves adjusted on these posts.
"Under a Cabinet decision, an order was passed for formulating a Litigation Policy. Under the same litigation policy, an Empowered Committee of Law Department, headed by Advocate General was to be framed in which a member from Law department was also to be appointed", he said, adding that in the last six years, the Law department had not appointed the member, in absence of which Empowered Committee ceased to work.
He further said that if there would be empowered Committee in place, it would be only on the recommendations of the Committee, all Counsels, Advocate Generals, Additional Advocate Generals, Standing Counsels would be appointed. "It seems that the incumbent government is not serious to rationalize the system and is following footprints of predecessors, consequently is posting close ones as standing counsels", he said. |
