Response not filed on matter of promoting court staff in computer section

Srinagar: The J&K High Court on Saturday said that the Commissioner Secretary, Law Department, would have to personally appear before the court if a compliance report with respect to the recommendations made by the court for creation of various promotional posts in the computer section of the High Court was not filed before the bench.

A division bench comprising Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice Javed Iqbal Wani while hearing the plea through petitioner counsel Nisar Ahmad Bhat, and taking the submissions on record, castigated the Law Department for failing to file a compliance report before the court on the matter.

The bench said it was intending to impose costs on the department for its informal approach to the previous directions passed in the matter, but the government counsel assured the court that the compliance report as per the court’s directions will be filed on or before the next date of hearing. The court granted the last and final opportunity for filing a response and warned that the Commissioner Secretary would have to appear in person before the court on April 20 if the report was not submitted.

The petitioner counsel had submitted before the court that despite clear directives, the Commissioner Secretary did not file a response as per the directions of the court. The bench termed this as non-seriousness and casual approach on part of the respondent department.

Earlier, a plea filed by employees of the High Court had submitted that they were appointed as Data Entry Operators in Srinagar wing of the High Court and were now seeking creation of four posts of Selection Grade Data Entry Operators, two posts of Section Officer (Computer), two posts of Assistant Registrar-I and one post of Assistant Registrar-II, so that they would be entitled for fair chance of promotion.

They sought a direction from the court that the authorities be directed to remove the stagnation of the petitioners by creating promotional avenues as had been evolved in the cases of other categories of posts in the court.

The court said it had already made its recommendation in the matter and sent the same to the law department for its final call on the issue, but as till date nothing had been done on part of the department, there was no option left for the court but to call the Commissioner Secretary in case he fails to file his response by or before April 20.

NUSRAT SIDIQ