Director SKIMS: Name officials in decision-making, HC tells Govt
STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: While taking serious note in a contempt petition State High Court asked the respondents (government) to spell out the names of the persons who participated in the decision-making process in which the entrusting of charge of the post of Director, SKIMS and Ex-Officio Secretary to Government to Prof. Omar Javed Shah, HOD Surgical Gastroenterology & Dean, Medical Faculty vide Government Order No. 84-GAD of 2018 dated 11.01.2018.
When the contempt petition was taken-up for hearing Justice M. K Hanjura after hearing Advocate I Sofi for the petitioner whereas AAG M. A Beigh for the state, observed that this court by order dated 21.02.2018 passed in the aforesaid contempt petition, directed that taking an overall view of the matter and it appears to have been flouted with impunity by the respondent and all others at whose instance the two orders cited above came to the surface. However, before taking any coercive action in the matter, notice shall be sent to the respondent for filing the statement of facts/compliance report within a week’s time.
The record of the case on the basis of which the government Order No. 84-GAD of 2018 dated 11.01.2018 and on the strength of which the meeting of the Governing Body was held on 12.1.2018 whereby the governing body ratified the decision relating to the entrusting of charge of the post of Director, SKIMS and Ex-Officio Secretary to Government to Prof. Omar Javed Shah, HOD Surgical Gastroenterology & Dean, Medical Faculty vide Government Order No. 84-GAD of 2018 dated 11.01.2018 till further orders and till a regular arrangement is made by the competent authority and the names of all such persons who participated in the decision making be also made known to this court on the next date.
Justice M. K Hanjura further observed that contemnor has filed the statement of facts which appears to be a ploy devised to hoodwink the process of law. The order of this Court referred to herein before, directed the contemnor to spell out the names of the persons who participated in the decision-making process which culminated into the issuance of the two government orders detailed and cited in the order dated 21.02.2018 of this Court.
The contemnor in the statement of facts has with the ultimate aim of dilly-dallying the proceedings stated that the government Order No. 84-GAD of 2018 dated 11.01.2018 was issued by him under the instruction of the competent authority conveyed to him by his superiors who participated in the meeting of the governing body held on 12.01.2018, whereby the Governing body ratified the decision relating to the entrusting of charge of the post of Director, SKIMS and Ex-Officio Secretary to Government to Prof. Omar Javed Shah, HOD Surgical Gastroenterology & Dean, Medical Faculty and who these superiors were, under the dictates of whom he passed the order, have not been made known to this Court.
The contemnor shall comply with the directions incorporated in the order dated 21.02.2018 of this Court in letter and spirit and shall file the compliance report on or before 16th March 2018, failing which appropriate orders shall follow on the next date. JNF