Omar Abdullah criticises J&K govt order of keeping Move offices functional in both regions

Srinagar, Apr 10: National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah on Friday criticised the Jammu and Kashmir government's order of keeping the Move offices functional in both regions of the Union territory, saying it would create confusion among the people.

The government earlier in the day ordered the formal opening of the annual Darbar Move offices in summer capital Srinagar on May 4, but said employees would work on a "as is where is" basis.

"This order regarding the bi-annual 'durbar move' is just mindless rubbish at worst & needless tokenism at best. So the offices can't shift to Srinagar because of #Covid_19, I get that. What I don't get is what Srinagar secretariat will do without files or senior officers," Abdullah wrote on Twitter.

The practice of 'Darbar Move'– under which the government functions in Jammu during the six months of winter and in Srinagar during the summer – was started by Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1872 to escape the extreme weather conditions in the two regions.

In view of the extraordinary circumstances due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Civil Secretariat at Jammu shall continue to remain functional and the Move employees shall work on "as is where is" basis i.e. Kashmir-based staff shall work from Srinagar and Jammu-based from Jammu, the order issued by the General Administrative Department (GAD) said.

It said the Move offices outside the Civil Secretariat shall also continue to remain functional in Jammu and Srinagar, as per the aforementioned mechanism. The NC leader asked the government to withdraw the order and instead delay the 'Darbar Move' till the COVID-19 threat was over.

"Most of the Kashmir based employees are in Jammu since the secretariat was functioning in Jammu over the winter so who will operate out of the Srinagar secretariat? If Srinagar Secretariat has no employees, no officers & no files what is it being opened for? "This order of two 'functioning secretariats' will just create confusion because no one will know which secretariat to approach to get their work done. It would be better to withdraw this order & just delay the move of offices till the #Covid_19 threat has passed," the NC leader said.