Stalemate over Kashmir legislative council secretary
By IANSMonday, February 28, 2011
JAMMU - The appointment of a secretary to the Jammu and Kashmir legislative council - the upper house of the state legislature - has been tossed to Raj Bhavan, with two different people being appointed to the post.
Governor N.N. Vohra’s intervention has been sought in the matter as he is the constitutional head of the state.
The issue has arisen following the promotion of a deputy secretary of the council to the rank of secretary by council Deputy Chairman Arvinder Singh Micky and the appointment later of another officer to the same post by the state cabinet.
Despite the National Conference leadership having taken up the issue with senior leaders of the Congress, the party to which Micky belongs and which is the ruling ally in Jammu and Kashmir, matters remain unresolved.
Kashmir Congress president Saifuddin Soz, who was authorised to intervene and break the stalemate, is reported to have left the decision to the governor. The two met here Sunday, and Soz brought up the issue and sought the governor’s intervention.
Such is the stalemate that the secretary appointed by the government has issued orders freezing all accounts of the council in the Jammu and Kashmir Bank, the sources said. This has further angered Micky.
Sources, however, say Micky is willing to accept the intervention of the governor on the issue.
Sources said the governor is expected to “examine the issue” in the light of constitutional provisions.
