Save LG’s Grievance Cell from becoming tool of harassment, blackmail

The Lieutenant Governor’s Grievance Cell in Jammu and Kashmir took off with much fanfare and hopes to serve as a public platform to address the legitimate concerns and grievances of the common people. Unfortunately, however, what was intended as a bridge between the people and the administration is increasingly becoming a platform for harassment, blackmail, and character assassination. The cell is being grossly misused by unscrupulous individuals, who weaponize it to settle personal scores and vendettas. At times, the intent is malicious to bruise reputations. Innocent and law-abiding citizens are being subjected to undue harassment through fictitious, false, and malicious complaints – often lodged using fake or anonymous identities.

The core issue lies in the Cell’s alarming lack of due diligence. Complaints are frequently forwarded to authorities and departments for action without verifying the identity of the complainant or the authenticity of the grievance. There exists no mechanism to cross-check the antecedents of those filing complaints, creating fertile ground for exploitation. This not only contravenes the principles of natural justice but also turns the very purpose of the grievance redressal mechanism on its head. As if it was not enough, the problem gets further compounded by the digital nature of the complaint mechanism like emails etc.
In an era where cybercrimes are rampant, and identity fraud is a pressing concern, allowing anonymous or fake complaints to influence administrative or police action is not just careless – it is dangerous. Innocent people are being targeted, slandered, and subjected to official inquiries without even knowing who their accusers are. This turns the process into a one-sided affair where the accused is left to defend themselves against a ghost.
There have been increasing instances where false complaints have been filed under fabricated names, or worse, through stolen or manipulated digital identities. In a routine process, without bothering to verify the complaints by contacting the so-called complainants on their phone numbers, the enthusiastic officers and officials keep forwarding these to the law enforcing agencies. Moreover, in this era of rising cyber crimes, filing anonymous complaints with the intention to harass should itself be treated as a cyber offense and dealt with accordingly. Instead of routing the digital complaints to police, CID, Anti Corruption Bureau, CBI etc, these need to be forwarded to the Cyber Cell to establish whether the complainant is fake or genuine.
By routinely tackling the complaints, the consequences are not just reputational damage, but also legal and mental agony for the person targeted.
Painfully speaking, the very noble idea of the Lieutenant Governor to establish the Grievance Cell is becoming counterproductive by not verifying complainants’ identities. This leads to blackmail and intimidation. It empowers petty vendettas and encourages a culture of impunity among elements with vested interest.
What makes this situation even more troubling is the complete disregard for legal and policy guidelines. The designated departments of Government of India and the various States and Union Territories besides the Supreme Court and several High Courts have repeatedly emphasized and observed that no action should be taken on anonymous or pseudonymous complaints. These directives and observations are based on the foundational principle of accountability -complainants must stand by their allegation and be held responsible if the claim is proven false. Ignoring these orders is not just administrative negligence; it is a wilful violation of legal safeguards designed to protect citizens from malicious prosecution. It is time for the Lieutenant Governor to address these concerns.
A grievance redressal system, particularly one operating under the aegis of the Lieutenant Governor, must uphold the highest standards of fairness, transparency, and integrity. The onus lies squarely on those manning the Cell to ensure that the system is not hijacked by those with nefarious intentions. Before forwarding any complaint for action, the identity of the complainant must be rigorously verified through Aadhaar, phone authentication, or any other robust means. Departments must not be compelled to act on whims and slanders of shadowy figures who refuse to come into the light.
It is high time the administration puts in place a mechanism that filters out fake or malicious complaints at the preliminary stage. This would involve not just verifying identities but also conducting a prima facie assessment of the nature of the complaint. If necessary, legal action should be taken against those found misusing the platform. Lodging a false complaint with intent to cause harm is a punishable offense under law of the land.
To allow the current misuse of the system to continue unchecked is to erode public trust in the very institutions meant to serve them. It sends the wrong message to law-abiding citizens: that they can be targeted, harassed, and humiliated without reason, and that the system will not stand by them.
The Lieutenant Governor’s Grievance Cell must stop being a platform of victimization and return to its true purpose – a forum for justice, fairness, and public accountability.