Top Babus In J&K Protest Sharma's Appointment As Chief Secretary

SRINAGAR: The appointment of Brij Raj Sharma as Jammu and Kashmir’s new chief secretary has sparked resentment in the bureaucracy with two IAS officers, who were ahead in the race for the top post but ignored, expressing resentment against the move of the state government.

The cabinet meeting, which was chaired here on Monday by the chief minister for about ninety minutes, appointed Sharma, a 1984 batch IAS officer, as the chief secretary, superseding four senior officers. The meeting also placed on record the contributions of the former chief secretary Iqbal Khandey.

"The cabinet which met here under the chairmanship of chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today approved the appointment of B R Sharma as the Chief Secretary," an official spokesperson said.

Born on April 27, 1960, Sharma will have one of the longest tenures as the chief secretary of the state if he continues in the office till his retirement.

The appointment comes after his predecessor, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, sought voluntary retirement from service last month, citing differences with the government over turning him into a "stenographer" and frequent transfer of senior officers.

Sharma has been appointed to the top administrative post, superseding four senior officers, Arun Kumar and his wife Sonali Kumar, both 1979 batch IAS officers, AK Angurana, a 1980 batch officer presently on a central deputation, and Khursheed Ahmad Ganai, a 1982 IAS batch officer.

Source said both Kumar, who will serve till December next year, and Ganai, who will superannuate in October this year, have made their displeasure known to the state government and both are contemplating early exit from the government to save themselves from "further embarrassment".

"It is a sad decision. The government should have followed the criteria of merit and seniority before appointing the new chief secretary," Ganai told The Citizen. Asked about his future course of action, he said, "I have not decided yet," he said.

Kumar, who is the financial commissioner in revenue department said he is unsure about his next move, "The government was expected to make seniority and merit as criterion for CS's appointment which has not been done. I am weighing my options,” he said.

Sharma, who has two post-graduate degrees besides an LLB degree, has held several key posts in the government during his 31 years of service. His last posting was as Principal Secretary, Planning and Development, Department of Jammu and Kashmir. He has also held the post of Principal Secretary of the Home Department.

During the 2008 Assembly elections, held after the Amarnath Land row agitation in the state, Sharma was the Chief Election Officer of the state.