J-K Govt Constitutes Task Force To Scrutinize ‘Anti-National’ Activities Of Its Employees

Amid rising cases of Covid-19 infection, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday evening decided to set up a special task force to identify and scrutinize employees who pose a threat to the country’s security or are involved in anti-national activities.

According to an order issued by the general administration department, the government has constituted the STF under the chairmanship of additional director-general of police, criminal investigation department (CID) to scrutinize the cases of employees suspected of being involved in activities requiring action under the proviso (C) of Article 311(2) of the Constitution. Under the proviso (C) of Article 311(2), the government is empowered to terminate an employee without recourse to the normal procedure if it is satisfied that his or her retention in public service is prejudicial to the security of the state.

The STF comprises inspector-general of police, Kashmir, and the inspector-general of police Jammu, representative of the home department not below the rank of additional secretary, representative of law department not below the rank of additional secretary and representative of the concerned department, as necessary, not below the rank of additional secretary.

According to the order, the terms of reference of the Special Task Force are to scrutinize cases of employees suspected of activities requiring action under Article 311 of the Constitution and to compile record of such employees. The Special Task Force has to engage with other members of the Terror Monitoring Group (TMG) for identifying such other employees, as necessary.  The task force has to take the assistance of other agencies and department(s) in this regard, as necessary. The government has asked the task force to speedily scrutinize such cases in a time-bound manner.

The STF has been asked to compile records of such employees and refer them to the committee constituted last year.  

Last year in July, a committee headed by J&K chief secretary and comprising  administrative secretary home department, DGP, administrative secretary GAD, additional director-general of police, CID and administrative secretary department of law, justice and parliamentary affairs was set up to scrutinise and recommend cases under the proviso (C) of Article 311(2).

The People’s Democratic Party termed the order as “ironic” saying when dealing with pandemic needs the whole of the government’s attention, it seems to be busy with policing people’s thoughts, choreographing normalcy junkets and focusing on the information blockade.