Malik to Continue as J&K LG

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

special report

Malik to Continue as J&K LG

Prakash Mishra may be new LG of Ladakh

State to be Bifurcated on October 31 as UTs 

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Oct 11

The Modi government has set the ball rolling for the appointment of new Lieutenant Governor of the newly carved out Union Territory of Ladakh. While it has been decided that Jammu & Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik will continue to hold the fort in Srinagar after October 31, there will be a new LG for Ladakh. It is learnt that Satya Pal Malik will be re-designated as Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of J&K as per the J&K Reorganisation Act and he has no hesitation is continuing there. But Ladakh UT will have new LG soon.

If reports are to be believed, former CRPF Director General Prakash Mishra is the front runner for the Ladakh UT. He belongs to the Odisha cadre of the IPS and had a running battle with the Naveen Patnaik government. He was removed as DGP following which he was inducted as special secretary (Internal Security) in the Union Home Ministry by the Modi government. Later, he was posted as DG, CRPF. The 1977 cadre IPS officer later joined the BJP after retirement.

It is learnt that Prime Minister Modi is keen to induct only bureaucrats and top police officers in Union Territories. There are five union Territorires and all of them have retired IAS or IPS officers barring Dadra, Nagar & Haveli where Praful Khoda Patel was appointed. He was Minister of State for Home Affairs in Gujrat. Otherwise, Kiran Bedi (Pudduchery), D K Joshi (A&N), Farooq Khan (Lakshadweep) and Anil Baijal (Delhi) belong to regular services. IN chandigarh, V P Singh Badnore is the Administrator by virtue of his being the Governor of Punjab.

Sources say, that Prakash Mishra fits into the government's scheme as he was an outstanding officer and Ladakh needs an experienced hand.

However, a final decision will be taken within the next two weeks. Currently, the Union Home Ministry is busy bifurcating the IAS, IPS cadres between the UTs of J&K and Ladakh and work is going on at a faster pace in North Block.

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PM monitoring J&K on hourly Basis

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

PM monitoring J&K on hourly Basis

Doval to Stay put in Valley until 15^th August

Local Police-Militant nexus broken

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Aug 12

The Centre has firmly told the security forces in Kashmir Valley that minimal force be used in the event of protests and situation be handled with a humane face. The fact that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has deputed his National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval to interact with the common people and listen to their grievances, indicates a very cautious appoach. The fact that not a single shot has been fired and no tear gas shell has been used indicates that the PM's directives are being implemented on the ground so far. Of course, there are incidents where pellet guns were used against protesting youths. But videos also show that protesters also showed extreme restraint and didn't resort to violence. They were largely peaceful too.

Ajit Doval's mission is to ensure that Bakr Eid and Independence Day pass off peacefully, and Pakistan’s effort to engineer violence is neutralised. With the J&K becoming a Union Territory, the Central forces have taken over complete control of the Police administration. It now transpires that all Police Stations & posts are headed by a senior CRPF officer and the local SHO will report to him. K Vijay Kumar, Adviser (Security) to the Governor Satya Pal Malik has been posted there since June 2018 to take direct charge of the police administration so that the backbone of the police-militants nexus is broken. The informers network is given full protection & reward which had been demolished during the past 30 years.

In fact, immediately after the break-up of BJP-PDP alliance, the PMO sent its most trusted IAS officer BVR Subramaniam as Chief Secretary. Obviously, things were at works in the PMO about J&K after the BJP suo-moto broke the alliance and got rid Mehbooba Mufti.

The government is also maintaining a studied silence whether the Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit the Lal Chowk in Sri Nagar to hoist the National Flag. Its original plan that Tri colour be hoisted in every village in J&K on August 15 in on track.

Satya Pal Malik May continue as LG in J&K ?

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Exclusive story

Satya Pal Malik May continue as LG in J&K ?

Home Ministry in a Fix

Harish Gupta 

New Delhi, Aug 7

With the President signing the bill bifurcating the State of Jammu & Kashmir and converting it into a Union Territory, the position of Governor Satya Pal Malik has become somewhat owkward. Under the new dispensation, the post of the Governor has been down-graded to that of the Lieutenant Governor as J&K has become a Union Territory and Ladakh has been made a completely new UT. Now Satya Pal Malik was appointed as Governor of the joint state of J&K  including Ladakh. 

The question bothering the legal luminaries is; can a Governor be down-graded as LG without his express consent. The President, Ram Nath Kovind has already signed the proclamation after the Parliament's both houses passed four bills dealing with J&K. But a fresh notification appointing new Lieutenant Governors for the Uts of J&K and Ladakh are yet to be issued. These appointments have not been notified so far as the Union Home Minister Amit Shah is still awaiting Satya Pal Malik's consent to continue as LG instead of as Governor. Secondly, the government wants a separate LG for Ladakh region to give the feeling of the people of Ladakh that its a separate state now. It doesn't want to continue Satya Pal Malik as LG of both the states. While the present arrangement can continue for sometime but the government is keen to appoint two separate LG s. 

Secondly, once the state of J&K converted into two UT s, rules of services and a lot of paper work need to be completed in accordance with law passed by Parliament. There are five Union Territories in the country as on date and with the creation of two more UT s, the number has shot up to seven. Now the state officers cadre of the J&K has to be merged with the UT cadre officers which is a cumbersome task. This is a unique situation where a full state has been bifurcated and converted into two Union Territories never witnessed in 70 years. Secondly, LG s have been promoted as Governors. But never a Governor will be demoted as LG. Therefore, it is yet to be seen whether Malik will agree to continue as LG. There is also a proposal that Malik may keep the designation of Governor “until further orders pending the framing of rules by the Union Home Ministry.” 

But certainly the creation of two new Union Territories has created some serious administrative complications. 

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