JAMMU, July 15: Judicial Member of Central Administrative Tribunal Jammu Rajinder Singh Dogra has stopped the salary of Director General and Joint Director of Jammu and Kashmir Institute of Management, Public Administration and Rural Development, Chief Engineer Maintenance and RE Wing of Power Development Department Jammu, Director Animal Husbandry Jammu and Director Forest Protection Force Jammu.
Further, the Tribunal has directed Administrative Secretaries of these departments to initiate enquiry against these officers as to why there was non-compliance of the orders and thereafter take strict action against them as nobody is above the law.
In a case titled Ashok Kumar Bhat Versus J&K IMPARD, vide orders dated May 2, 2024 and June 13, 2024, the respondents were granted last and final opportunity for filing written statement and it was also made clear that in case there was non-compliance of the directives, the ‘erring’ officers shall remain present within an explanation.
The matter was initially filed in the year 2020 before the High Court of J&K and vide order dated June 12, 2020 it was transferred to CAT and respondents were granted time to file the reply.
The case was thereafter listed before the court a number of times but as usual respondents didn’t bother to file reply despite availing sufficient time.
As neither reply has been filed nor officers appeared before the court, this court is constrained to pass harsh order to stop the salary of Director General and Joint Director of J&K IMPARD with immediate effect as officers who are not obeying the court orders don’t deserve salary”, Judicial Member has mentioned in the order.
Accordingly, the concerned Drawing and Disbursing Officer has been directed to ensure that salary of these officers remain stopped till further orders.
Moreover, the Commissioner Secretary of the concerned department has been directed to initiate an enquiry against these officers as to why there was non-compliance of the orders and thereafter initiate action against them & It was ordered that the action taken report be submitted along with the written statement by next date of hearing-August 9, 2024.
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