At the outset, if motives are not to be attributed, why the seniority list of employees should not be prepared, up-dated and circulated without fail in each and every Government Department in Jammu and Kashmir. That would not only create an air of due transparency in personnel matters but provide no room nor space for any apprehensions or doubts about malpractices or unfair means adopted in matters of promotions and holding of positions of responsibilities. In the absence of such lists prepared and issued or half prepared or select cadre wise prepared, most of the employees retire in the same grade and position which otherwise should have been in an elevated position and on purely seniority considerations if there were no cases of indiscipline or gross misconduct or any acts of omission and commission pending disposal against an eligible employee.
Taking the case, for instance , in respect of Engineering Departments in Jammu and Kashmir where strangely, Assistant Engineers discharging their duties at higher positions as ”In-charge” retire in the original grade and status as operation of ad-hoc measures in departments and non preparation and issuance of seniority list since a long period is responsible for marring their chances of getting promotions. Promotion to higher grade subject to vacancies becoming available is, though not a guaranteed right of an employee, but impliedly one cannot be denied the same and asked instead to work at higher post but with the same grade and cadre. This practice is not only resulting in injustice meted out to the deserving and eligible employees but cutting at the roots of good performance and output.
There is also the chronic problem of regularization of employees mainly engineers in Power Development Department and even those un-regularised but retired as well in other departments besides in the PDD. We are repeatedly impressing upon the UT Administration to formulate a modern, transparent, comprehensive and reviewable Personnel Policy so as to pre-empt such leakages and ‘pilferages’ to the detriment of the eligible employees. All such issues can well be taken due care of by that policy which again must be reviewed periodically. Let old , mostly flawed and now outdated practices be given a final rest in respect of personnel matters like deciding seniority and promotions.
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