J&K UT Govt releases first Warrant of Precedence
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 17: Newly created Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir today came out with its first Warrant of Precedence placing the Lieutenant Governor at 11th place at par with Attorney General of India and Cabinet Secretary and the Chief Minister (whenever he/she is elected) at 15th spot equivalent to Cabinet Ministers of the States and Deputy Ministers of the Union.
Advisors to the Governor who have been given the rank of Ministers figured at 18th place along with Executive Councilors of New Delhi. However, they will be two places above the Mayor and three ranks atop the Members of Parliament.
In the States, the Governor was placed at fourth place only behind the President, Vice President and Prime Minister while the Chief Minister was placed at seventh spot along with former Prime Ministers and Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The Warrant of Precedence for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir was issued today by Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary to Government, Hospitality and Protocol Department.
Click here to see full copy of order
Significantly, the Union Territory Government had placed newly elected Chairpersons of the Block Development Councils at par with the District Magistrates (Deputy Commissioners), major Head of Departments, District and Session Judges and officers in the rank of Brigadiers.
However, among entire top brass of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor will be at the top followed by the Chief Justice of High Court. The Chief Minister of J&K UT will be at No. 3 equal in rank with Cabinet Ministers of the States and Deputy Ministers of the Union followed by the Lieutenant Generals of the Army i.e. the Northern Command chief and GOCs of Nagrota, Srinagar and Leh Corps.
While the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory will be at par with Attorney General of India and Cabinet Secretary, he will be below the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chief Ministers of States, Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha, Members of the Planning Commission and Union Ministers of the State.
The Chief Minister of the Union Territory will be further below the rank of Chiefs of Staff holding the rank of Full General or equivalent i.e. the three Service chiefs,, Chairman and Speakers of the State Legislatures and Chief Justice of High Court.
The Chief Minister of the Union Territory has been clubbed with Cabinet Ministers of the States, Chief Executive Councilor, Delhi and Deputy Ministers of the Union.
Ministers of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be at the 18th place overall in the Warrant of Precedence at par with Executive Councilors of Delhi and Speaker of Legislative Assembly.
As Advisors to the Lieutenant Governor have been given the rank of Ministers, they will also fall in this category. However, there has been no specific mention of the post of Advisors to the Lieutenant Governors in the Warrant of Precedence.
Two Mayors of Jammu and Srinagar Municipal Corporations have been placed at 19-A spot below Deputy Speaker of the Union Territory but above the Members of Parliament, who have been kept at 21st place. However, the Mayors will enjoy their Warrant of Precedence within their respective territorial jurisdictions.
Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be equal in the rank of the Chief Secretary of the UT. However, if they both attend a function together, the MLA will be below in the protocol from the Chief Secretary.
The MLAs of the Union Territory will be at par with Secretaries to the Government of India, Members of National Commission, Secretary to the President and the Prime Minister, Secretary Rajya Sabha/Lok Sabha, Solicitor General and Vice Chairman of the Central Administrative Tribunal.
Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory will be equal to the rank of Directors of CBI, BSF, CRPF, IB and Financial Commissioners to the Government. They will be followed by the Principal Secretaries to Government and Additional Director General of Police.
Below them will be all Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners/ IGPs, Joint Secretaries to the Government of India and officers in equivalent rank and officers in the rank of Major General followed by the Vice Chancellors of the Universities.
The District Magistrates, major Head of Department, District and Sessions Judges, Chair persons of Block Development Councils and officers of the rank of Brigadiers will be at 28th i.e. the last place of the Warrant of Precedence.
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