Last Updated on October 4, 2021 at 1:58 pm
A panel of bureaucrats have missed the deadline which had been fixed by the Chief Secretary for making recommendations in the Compassionate Appointment Rules in the light of judgments of Supreme Court and a more structured scheme being followed at the Government of India level.
As well as vacancies is still not reserved in the each department for settlement of SRO-43 cases.
Previously, Chief Secretary of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Dr Arun Kumar Mehta held a high level meeting in order to review the implementation of SRO-43 of 1994 with Principal Secretary to the Government, Home Department, Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department and Secretary, Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
Discussions in the meeting were held relating to issue of determination of ‘element of compassion’ in SRO-43 cases and the Chief Secretary was apprised about the ‘point based relative merit scheme’ being followed in the Government of India, which is a more structured and rational process.
Also it was realized during the discussion that there is the need of implementing the Apex Court judgments on compassionate appointment in Government service. Accordingly, it was decided to review the entire process of compassionate appointment by factoring in the Apex Court judgments in the Rules.
The task was given to a committee comprising Principal Secretary, Home Department, Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department and Secretary, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Department.
But, as per reports, the deadline which was fixed by the Chief Secretary is already ended but the panel of bureaucrats has not submitted report to the government. Moreover, the committee has met twice but till now no final decision has been taken.
As well as, General Administration Department has not finished the exercise of obtaining data on appointments made under SRO-43 during the last 10 years, which otherwise is imperative to propose a fixed percentage of vacancies to be reserved in each department for settlement of SRO-43 cases taking into account the Government of India norms. About the provisions under SRO-43 which allow appointment for Next of Kin of civilians who got killed in militancy related incidents, this provision may not be strictly in consonance with the Apex Court judgments on compassionate appointment as such committee will explore the possibility of restricting this provision to financial assistance in such cases, reportedly.
