Non-state subjects illegally working in handicrafts dept

Appointment of non-locals in govt departments violation of Articles 370 and 35-A

In a brazen violation of recruitment rules, the J&K Government has provided employment to non-state subjects, belonging to Uttar Pradesh.
Official documents reveal that Alim-ud-Din Khan and Mohi-ud-Din, both residents of Uttar Pradesh, have been employed in Government Arts Emporium – a wing of J&K Handicrafts Corporation for marketing Kashmir’s indigenous craft.
Both were appointed as orderlies in 1986 by the then Managing Director, J&K Handicrafts Department. Later, they were regularised on the basis of “good performance,” read the documents.
Sources said another non-state subject Surinder Kumar had managed to get the appointment through illegal means.
The issue has landed in the J&K Crime Branch of the police where complainant Javaid Rashid Khan of Srinagar has sought a probe into the “illegal appointments”.
As per the recruitment rules, only persons who are permanent residents of the state are eligible to be appointed in different government departments. Khan said similar rules apply to Government Arts Emporium where the government can only appoint state subjects for manning its showrooms or offices, functioning under the exclusive control of the management of J&K Handicrafts Corporation.
Experts said the appointment of non-locals in the government departments was violative of Article 370 and Article 35-A that protect the state subject laws.
Handicraft officials said all three employees had been appointed at Class IV level locally at Government Arts Emporium, Irwani Road, New Delhi.
They said the appointment of non-locals had been made in various departments, like State Road Transport Corporation, J&K House, New Delhi, and Handicrafts Corporation during 80s and early 90s.
Managing Director of J&K Kashmir Handicrafts Corporation Limited Ishtiyaq Drabu agreed that the non-state subjects had been appointed locally in the emporium. However, Drabu said the employees under question were on the verge of retirement and he could do nothing against them.