Probe allegations of backdoor appointments, SC tells HC of J&K and Ladakh
Srinagar, March 28
The Supreme Court (SC) has asked the Chief Justice of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh to investigate the allegations of backdoor appointments of administrative staff at various judicial bodies in J&K.
The petition filed by J&K Peoples Forum alleged that relatives of existing members of staff and present/former judges of the High Court were appointed without following due selection process.
The Bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha and Justice JB Pardiwala asked the HC to look into the allegations of backdoor appointments at the HC, subordinate courts, state judicial academy, legal services authority and e-court mission mode project.
The appointments were made ad hoc or through advertisements, which the petition deems “suspicious” since 2007. The petition further alleges a lack of transparent selection process and arbitrary appointment of individuals without issuing any public notice or advertisement.
The SC has extended the time for filing counter-affidavits and the Registrar of J&K High Court will file the counter after specifically taking instructions and directions from the Chief Justice of the J&K High Court.
The petitioner has provided a list of existing staff members and judges of the High Court who allegedly extended favors to their relatives.
He alleged that amendments were made in the existing rules to facilitate backdoor appointments and the appointment of kin of functionaries against higher cadres, even if they were only eligible for lower cadres and selected after a regular legal recruitment process.
In addition to the allegations of backdoor appointments, the petitioner claims that a number of daily wagers have been working in various courts for more than a decade without being regularised.
