Srinagar, Oct 25 (KNO): As the Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered the closure of all important commissions by October 31, when Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh would officially be declared as Union Territories (UTs), people of Kashmir have serious apprehensions and are asking what would be the fate of pending cases and inquiries.
There are hundreds of cases pending before State Human Rights Commission and State Accountability Commission (SAC). According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the government has ordered the winding up of Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), State Commission for Protection of Women and Child Rights (SCPWCR), State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC), State Information Commission (SIC), State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC), and State Accountability Commission (SAC) with an immediate effect from 31 October, 2019.
The orders issued by General Administration Department (GAD) reads that consequent upon repeal of the Acts related to these commissions by the J&K Reorganization, Act 2019, sanction is hereby accorded to the winding up of these commissions, from October 31, 2019 on the day of bifurcation of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State into two Union Territories (UT’s), Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh respectively.
The orders stress upon the chairpersons/president and members of commission shall cease to hold office from 31 October, 2019.
It was also stressed that the staff posted in these departments shall report to the concerned administrative departments from October 31, 2019. The vehicles allotted to or purchased for the commission from time to time shall be handed over to the Director, State Motor Garages.
The GAD also orders all secretaries of these commission to handover building housing the commissions along with furniture and electronic devices to Director Estates.
As the secretaries working under these commissions shall transfer all records relevant to their respective commissions to the concerned departments. “I have a case pending since past eight years in SHRC. When the commission is being closed, what would happen to my case,” said Fehmeeda Nazir, a resident Kupwara.
An official at the SHRC said that Commission has scores of cases against security forces where inquiries are either pending or reports are awaited. “We don’t know what would happen to the record,” he said, wishing not to be named. Similarly, there are hundreds of cases pending before SAC and other commissions. (KNO)