Srinagar: The J&K high Court on Saturday directed the government to provide it with the data on men, machinery and capital involved in shifting the annual Darbar move between the two capital cities of Jammu and Kashmir.
The direction was issued after concerns were raised by some lawyers that shifting the annual Darbar, (a tradition of the pre 1947 Dogra maharajs of the princely state of J&K) , in times of COVId 19 pandemic shall have disastrous effects.
“In order to enable that a considered view to be taken, it is necessary to have firm information with regard to the implications of the Darbar”, directed a two judge bench of the J&K High Court.
The court directed the Secretary, General Administration Department, of J&K to provide details of the government officials at all levels (position/category-wise) involved in the four Darbar Moves in 2018 and 2019.
“The Secretary, Finance Department, to provide in a tabulation, setting out Move-wise categories/ heads, figures of the finances incurred on the four Darbar Moves for the years 2018 and 2019”, directed the court.
It also directed the Secretary to provide details of the financial benefits (as Move Allowance; Temporary Move Allowance and any other) admissible to the employees adding that the move-wise total liability be placed before the court by next date of hearing of the case.
The court directed the Director General of JK Police to submit the details of the police personnel involved in providing security cover to personnel involved in the Darbar Moves in 2018 as well as 2019.
“The Director General of Police shall also provide the number of police personnel who have been detailed on COVID-19 related issues and duties in Srinagar”, it directed.
The court also directed the Secretary Estate Department to “provide details of the accommodation belonging to it as well as that which was hired houses, hotels, guest houses etc. for providing accommodation to personnel involved in the Darbar Moves in 2018 as well as 2019”.
The judges directed the secretary, Transport Department to “give details of the transportation which was required for effecting the Darbar Moves in the nature of trucks for transporting records etc and the officials as also transportation which is hired for transporting the officials effecting the moves”.
The lawyers including Faisal qadri and Shafqat Nazir submitted that any Move of the Darbar should be postponed till COVID-19 infection issues have been brought under complete control and the lockdown is lifted.
They said that the COVID-19 infection is spreading at an extremely fast pace in the Kashmir Valley and that medical facilities are woefully inadequate in the region.
These facilities certainly are insufficient and would be grossly deficient to meet needs of the influx of more men, they added.
Qadri submitted “the security personnel who are critically needed for COVID-19 functions and deployments, as also transport vehicles, would need to be withdrawn for providing security to the Government personnel, securing VIPs and important persons who would all shift to Srinagar”.
