Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 2: Setting into motion the process to infuse new lease of life in the defunct State Accountability Commission (SAC), the Government has constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee comprising of three Ministers to suggest the names of the retired Judges for the posts of the Chairperson and Members of the Commission.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that as per the amendments carried out in the Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission Act by the State Legislature during the Budget Session held early this year, the Government has issued order regarding constitution of a Cabinet Sub-Committee comprising Minister for Forest and Social Welfare, Bali Bhagat, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Basharat Ahmed Bukhari and Minister for Education Naeem Akhtar.
This Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC) would act as a search committee for short-listing the names of the probables and then recommend the short-listed names to the select committee comprising of Chief Minister as Chairman and Speaker Legislative Assembly, Chief Justice of State High Court, Law Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly as its Members.
As per the J&K State Accountability Commission Act, in case there is no Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, the leader of the single largest party in the Opposition to the Government shall be deemed to be a member of the select committee, which would recommend names to the Governor for appointment by warrant under his hand and seal.
“The Law Department has prepared the list of the Judges, who fall within the criteria laid down as per the latest amendments in the Act and the same would be placed before the Cabinet Sub-Committee, which is likely to convene its first meeting in near future”, sources informed.
It is pertinent to mention here that the amendments have been carried out in Section 6 of the J&K Accountability Commission Act, 2002 whereby term of office of Chairperson and Members of this vital Commission has been increased from three years to five years and upper age limit increased beyond 70 years in order to broaden the zones of consideration for appointments.
“The Chief Minister has reportedly asked the Cabinet Sub-Committee to accomplish the task assigned to it as early as possible because he wanted to make this vital Commission functional within minimum possible time so that objective behind its constitution way back in 2002 is achieved”, sources said.
The Accountability Commi-ssion is lying defunct since August 20, 2014 when its Chairperson and Member completed their three years term. However, no serious efforts were made to make the Commission functional once again as a result of which fight against corruption involving public functionaries like Chief Minister, Ministers, Members of State Legislature, Chairmen/ Vice-Chairmen of various committees and boards came to a grinding halt.
The non-serious approach towards this important Commission was notwithstanding the fact that even State High Court expressed concern over SAC’s non-functioning and had even asked the State to consider retaining of the Chairperson and Member, who had completed term in August last year.
Notwithstanding its significance, the Accountability Commission always received less importance from the respective Governments. Earlier, the Commission remained nonfunctional for over two years following completion of term of the then Members-Justice G L Raina and Justice Muzaffar Jan and thereafter its functioning was marred due to non-availability of adequate staff.
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