When Cabinet rejected proposal to designate Bukhari as PSC’s CEO

Chairman didn’t relieve his confidante, made him Secretary-cum-Controller

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, May 2: Connections of the high-flying bureaucrat, Mohammad Ashraf Bukhari, can be gauged from his audacity of refusing to join as Deputy Commissioner of Kupwara when Omar Abdullah’ cabinet ordered a major administrative reshuffle in May 2010. Incumbent DC Kupwara, Shaukat Ahmed Mir, who required urgent cardiac treatment and had proceeded on leave, was airlifted and dropped back in Kupwara when the Government failed to implement the Cabinet order. On May 31, 2010, Bukhari had been removed as Secretary of Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission (PSC) and appointed as DC Kupwara.

Chairman of the PSC, S L Bhat, according to informed sources in the state administration, refused to relieve his confidante with the hackneyed argument that Bukhari’s transfer could badly affect the working at PSC. However, the chemistry between the two being more than normal is evident from the fact that Bhat also managed to banish Bukhari’s bete noire and Controller of Examinations, Ghulam Hassan Mir. He even prevailed upon then Chief Secretary, Sham Singh Kapur, and ensured that none of the additional secretaries to Government was appointed as the new Controller at PSC.

Even when Mir was on leave, Chairman assigned the additional charge of Controller to the Secretary. Mir returned but Chairman Bhat desired Bukhari to continue as Controller “till further orders”. Mir was finally packed off back to Civil Secretariat as Special Secretary in Housing & Urban Development Department. This accomplished the task of the abortion of Mohammad Shafi Pandit’s concept of keeping two different officials as Secretary and Controller.

Bhat’s predecessor, Mr Pandit, according to sources, was keen that Secretary, like all others, should not know about the marks obtained by the candidates in written examinations and screening tests. Pandit’s apprehension was that Secretary could influence the final selection process if he knew how many marks exactly a candidate needed in viva voce to pass.

On account of the special services provided to certain influential politicians and bureaucrats, that include selection of the wives of some Ministers’ Special Assistants as Veterinary Assistant Surgeons, this high-flying IAS officer is now demanding the posting of his choice. Sources said efforts were currently in progress to ensure a “prize posting” for the PSC Secretary who has a short list of priorities----DC Budgam, Commissioner Commercial Taxes (charge temporarily with Commissioner Excise G A Pir) or Special Secretary in General Administration Department (GAD).

With the blessings of Kapur---and a couple of Ministers---Bukhari dictated terms to the Government for several years. How he cajoles the new Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, remains to be seen.

Months before Kapur’s retirement in February this year, Chairman Bhat wanted Additional Advocate General, Ali Mohammad Magray, to be appointed as PSC’s Standing Counsel. The proposal was botched up in the wake of stiff resistance from a couple of Members. With vengeance, Bhat mooted the proposal of delegating unto himself all administrative powers. To accomplish the mission, he mooted the proposal of designating the Secretary as “Secretary-cum-CEO”. As expected, the proposal was electrically cleared and pushed forward by both, Secretary of Law as well as Commissioner-Secretary GAD, besides then Chief Secretary.

However, it did not find favour with majority of the Ministers when it came up for consideration in a Cabinet meeting in January. Ministers, critical of Bhat’s “corporate move”, warned that Secretary’s new designation and administrative powers would completely marginalize the Members who were, in no way, inferior to Chairman except for constitution of the interview boards, appointment of subject experts and power to a decisive vote in case of a tie.

It is widely being pointed out that even the Commission’s website in the “Members Profile” link carries only the biodata of Secretary and two members---Roop Lal Bharti and Dr H L Goswami---both retiring later this month. There is no mention of others---S L Bhat, Manzoor Ahmed Bhat, Masood Samoon, Khizar Mohammad Wani and K B Jandial.

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