Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 | After 4 years of silence, employees' body demands review of 'unilateral' terminations

Following the revocation of J&K’s special status in August 2019 and its bifurcation into two Union Territories, the administration dismissed over 70 government employees under Article 311(2) (c) of the Constitution.

Srinagar: After four years of silence, a top government employees' body in Jammu and Kashmir has called on the newly elected Omar Abdullah government to revisit the cases of over 70 employees who were "unilaterally" terminated by the Lieutenant Governor (LG) administration since 2021.

These dismissals were based on allegations of promoting terrorism, raising significant concerns about due process and fairness.

Following the revocation of J&K’s special status in August 2019 and its bifurcation into two Union Territories, the administration dismissed these government employees under Article 311(2) (c) of the Constitution.

This provision gives the government the power to sack employees without an inquiry if "the President or the Governor is satisfied that in the interest of the security of the state, it is not expedient to hold such inquiry."

Until now, employee unions had remained largely silent on the matter, but the Employees Joint Consultative Committee (EJCC) — an amalgamation of various associations — has now broken that silence.

At a press conference, EJCC president Aijaz Khan highlighted the unilateral nature of these terminations, stating, “The terminated employees were not given a chance to defend themselves. We urge the Chief Minister to reinstate the terminated employees on priority.”

However, Khan was quick to add that they don’t support “anti-national elements.” “But we know for sure that there were cases of terminations done unjustly, which need to be reviewed on priority,” he demanded.

The call for action comes as the new government seeks to rebuild trust and address pressing issues in the region. The response from the new government is awaited as terminated employees look for a commitment to justice and transparency in governance.

Since 2021, the J&K administration has terminated 74 government employees “in the interest of state security” without conducting inquiries or allowing them to present their defenses. Of these, 67 are from the Kashmir Valley and seven from the Jammu region, including three women — two teachers and a civil servant, the latter married to a former JKLF commander.

In each of these cases, officers in the J&K Police and the administration said there were either FIRs, or “evidence” that the person “indulged” in protests or stone pelting in the distant past, or just because a relative was a militant decades ago.

The calls for a review reflect a growing demand for accountability and fairness in the administration's actions.