SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary has questioned the appointment of an officer from outside the Union Territory as the new Chief Secretary, asking why a local bureaucrat, irrespective of religion or region, was not considered to succeed the outgoing incumbent Atal Dulloo, who retired on October 31.
Choudhary argued that J&K should have been represented by one of its own senior officers in the highest administrative position, especially at a time when there is growing demand for greater local participation in governance.
The Centre has appointed Dr. Sajjan Singh Yadav, a 1995-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories) cadre, as the new Chief Secretary of J&K. Yadav, who has been transferred from Delhi to head the Union Territory’s bureaucracy, is a native of Haryana and has served in several senior positions in the Delhi Government and the Union Government. His appointment is scheduled to take effect from November 1, or from the date he formally assumes charge, whichever is later. Pending his joining, Additional Chief Secretary Shaleen Kabra, the senior-most serving bureaucrat in the administration, is officiating as the acting Chief Secretary.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Choudhary said the appointment had once again raised the question of local representation in key decision-making positions in J&K. Referring to the retirement of former Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, a Kashmiri Pandit, he questioned why the government had neither granted him an extension nor selected another officer from within J&K to occupy the post.
“Officials in other parts of the country have been granted service extensions. If that was possible elsewhere, why was Atal Dulloo not given one? And if the government did not want to continue with him, then why could it not appoint a local officer as Chief Secretary?” Choudhary asked.
He emphasised that his demand was not linked to any particular community, religion or region. “If Dulloo was not to be given an extension, the government could have appointed any local officer from here, whether Hindu or Muslim. At least that person would have been a son of the soil,” he said, reiterating the need for greater local representation in the UT’s administrative hierarchy.
Choudhary said the debate was not merely about an individual posting but about ensuring that J&K’s own officers receive opportunities to occupy positions of authority in the administration. He maintained that local representation in such key posts would strengthen public confidence and provide the people of the UT with a greater sense of participation in governance.
The Deputy Chief Minister also took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), questioning whether it had ever raised the issue of local representation in the bureaucracy. He alleged that the party appeared more interested in promoting a particular political narrative than highlighting concerns specific to J&K.
Choudhary made these remarks while also seeking to put to rest the recent controversy surrounding reports of dissatisfaction among a section of ruling National Conference (NC) legislators. Speaking to reporters after paying obeisance at the historic Bawe Wali Mata Temple in Jammu on the eve of the Diwali festival, he said the issue had already been resolved through consultations between the party leadership and the concerned MLAs.
He noted that NC president Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had held detailed discussions with the legislators, making it clear that there was no reason for the controversy to continue. Referring to Friday’s meeting in Srinagar between the party leadership and the dissatisfied legislators, Choudhary dismissed reports of internal divisions within the NC as “baseless rumours.”
“The expressions on their faces made it quite clear. Once my leader, the National Conference president, and the Chief Minister discussed the matter with all the MLAs, that was the end of it,” he said.
Urging the media to focus on issues affecting ordinary people rather than political speculation, Choudhary said repeated discussion of controversies within the NC would neither address unemployment nor help resolve the long-pending issues faced by daily-wage workers and other vulnerable sections. He accused sections of the media of giving disproportionate attention to political controversies while neglecting matters directly impacting the people of J&K. E
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