Srinagar, Jul 04: J&K High Court on Wednesday granted week’s time to government to file a report on the rules regulating the activities of the Elementary Training (ETT) institutes in the state that have been rocked by widespread corruption and misconduct.
“One week’s time is granted to government to file a latest report, indicating therein the rules that have been framed by the State government for regulating the activities of ETT Institutes,” directed the court.
In an earlier direction to the Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police, the agency had been directed to complete the investigation into the widespread corruption and wrongdoings of the ETT institutes and file investigation report before the court.
Taking serious note on keeping the investigation on hold after the 2012 academic session of these institutes, the court had directed the Crime Branch to produce the report of investigation into the scam from academic sessions 2012 to 2017 before the court.
The state counsel during the hearing had claimed in the open court that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been constituted to bring out all the irregularities and embezzlement in ETT colleges across the state and the government had decided to close all those institutions operating illegally or in contraventions of law.
The court took note of the “lazy” approach on part of authorities for holding the investigation on shelve for remaining academic sessions.
The state counsel submitted before the court that since huge number of such colleges across the state are running illegally, as such CB is investigating the matter on an annual basis and the submission of yearly progress of investigation may be permitted by the court.
The court observed “it seems that officials are hand-in-glove with the erring institutions and have failed in controlling the illegal practice of these institutions”.
During the proceedings of the case, counsel appearing on behalf of one of the colleges submitted that since most of these colleges have been found to be operating illegally from Jammu division, as such the matter may be transferred to the Jammu wing of the High Court.
The state counsel vehemently opposed the submission.
The court has already been informed that the authorities are allowing the promoters of these ETT institutes to run in deviation of the guidelines of National Council for Teachers Education and J&K Education Act 2002.
