State Vigilance Organization is duty bound to unravel cases of shady dealings in any department if and when reported to it. As watchdog, its duties will not be welcomed by those whose record is tainted. It is a formidable task because corruption has seethed down to the entire society. The task of SVO is rendered very difficult and even indefinite by the fact that administration fails to bring the corrupt persons to book through proper judicial mechanism. We have often said that the most important ingredient of good governance is accountability. Our laws are complicated, our judicial structure is complicated and prosecution system too is complicated and time consuming. Enough time and space are allowed to the culprits to get themselves absolved of charges. Additionally, administrative machinery is suffering from a strong element of nepotism. Once a functionary is identified as violator of rules and functioning in autocratic and selfish manner, he galvanizes his sympathizers into action aimed at bringing the administration under pressure.
We have a glaring case of corruption under examination. The State Vigilance has directed for registration of a case against Revenue officials. Ownership of 4 kanals of prime land in Rajbagh locality of the city of Srinagar was conferred on one Sita Devi under Roshni Act on 30 June 2007. Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar confirmed ownership on 4 March 2008. Mutation has been entered in the Mutation Register on 16 April 2008. But Sita Devi had died more than three months prior to the entry of mutation in the records in the name of Sita Devi.
The question is how did revenue authorities enter mutation in the revenue records when the incumbent had already expired? We all know that the person in whose name mutation is to be entered has to be present before the revenue authorities in person and two persons are required as witnesses who can certify his identity and address. Apparently this important condition has not been observed and mutation has been made without asking for the presence of Sita Devi and the witnesses that would have identified her. It is the beginning of some shady deal shaping in the case. And that came to fore without loss of time when one Shamsher Singh appeared from nowhere and claimed to have become inheritor of late Sita Devi’s immoveable property by virtue of a will deed which allegedly was got registered, perhaps after Sita Devi had passed away. It is at this point that so many questions are raised. Making entries into revenue records is the task of a full hierarchical structure in the Revenue Department. Vital entries in this record are fundamentally made by the Patwaris.  But then Naib Tehsildar, Tehsildar, Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and finally the District Commissioner are required to examine, satisfy themselves and endorse mutation. How come that in the case of mutation in the name of Sita Devi took place when she had already died? It smells rat.
Secondly how come that one Shamsher Singh emerges on the scene suddenly and produces a will deed which again is accepted by the revenue authorities and ownership transferred to him although he had not made the full payment of 72 lacs of rupees as the cost of the land? This adds more doubts to the entire case and the simple inference one can draw is that unless the revenue authorities are accomplices in this fraudulent case, it could not have been dealt with so casually by revenue officials who are known for their discreet handling of revenue records and enters.  We are not actually going to dabble in the legalities of the case and prove or disprove respective stands of parties involved. We would like to impress upon the Government agencies that unearthing cases of corruption in Government Departments is a complicated matter, and unless the official machinery cooperates with the vigilance organization proper justice cannot be done to the parties concerned.

Motor accident that happened on Srinagar-Baramulla road resulting in the loss of seven lives and serious injuries to two others has sent a wave of shock in the entire Valley. The Governor and the Chief Minister have expressed their deep sorrow on the loss of lives. This accident is followed by another tragedy in which a civilian vehicle plunged into Suroo nullah in Kargil resulting in the death of seven occupants of the vehicle.  We convey condolence to the bereaved families that have suffered the tragic deaths, and pray for patience to bear the loss.
Road accidents do happen despite ceaseless efforts by Traffic Police to see to it that movement of vehicles is as smooth as possible. There are various causes of these accidents like mechanical failure, error on the part of the driver, visibility problem, slippery ground or faulty bridges and culverts etc. Everybody wants safe journey to be back with their friends and families. But as the axiom goes, death keeps no calendar. Accidents do happen and lives get destroyed. In the case of accident on Srinagar-Baramulla road in particular case, very tragic as it is, police authorities have registered a case and proper inquiry into the causes and nature of accident will be held. But to jump to the conclusion that the driver of the Army vehicle or the driver of the private car which carried passengers was at fault and should be punished by the mobs is not the way of handling such situations. Unruly mobs targeted the driver of the Army vehicle and would have harmed him physically if more troops had not rushed to the spot to control the situation. It is absolutely unrealistic on the part of Kashmir dissident political leaders to capitalize on incidents of road accident and use it for stirring up passions among the people against the Army. The Army Commander has formally expressed his anguish on the loss of lives and a probe has been promised. We expect senior leaders to behave with great sense of responsibility on such occasions. It is not a matter of settling political score but of human tragedy. We know that separatists and secessionists have been seeking even the smallest pretext to stir public demonstration in the Valley. They are not interested in contributing to peace process. But it is their mistake to think that a Government can be cowed down by intimidating acts or by insinuating the public with political undertones while giving call for strike.
We would appeal to the people of the Valley not to get swayed by the politically motivated insinuation by irresponsible leaders who want to ensure their popularity by catering to sentiments of violence and lawlessness. A State is not ruffled by these gimmicks. A matured society needs to think in a matured manner and not play in the hands of selfish leadership.