By Hitesh Tikoo
Jammu, Dec 17 : A top Hurriyat man, whose name was rejected for appointment as J&K High Court judge after the Intelligence Bureau reported his strong ties with the Hurriyat, is still working as Standing Counsel in the Jammu Kashmir Public Service Commission, according to sources.
Official sources in the top ranks of the administration told IANS that in 2013, Azhar-ul-Amin’s name was collectively dropped by the Supreme Court collegium and the PMO after the IB reported that he had remained associated with Hurriyat.
Formerly a director in the J&K Bank’s Board of Directors (BoD), Amin is still working as a Standing Counsel for the Jammu Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC).
Few years after his name was dropped, the then J&K Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, got him appointed not only as Standing Counsel with JKPSC but also as a director in the BoD of J&K Bank.
Later Chief Secretary B.V.R. Subrahmanyam took his resignation from J&K Bank BoD. However, by that time he had already taken home tonnes of money.
In the current administration of Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, Amin still works as the Standing Counsel to JKPSC and as a top government advocate with the Advocate General.
As per the sources, Amin was part of the J&K High Court Bar Association (JKHCBA) which is believed to be a constituent of the separatist Hurriyat Conference. It’s constitution is secessionist in nature and it publicly endorses Jammu and Kashmir’s separation from India.
Last month, Srinagar DC Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary had barred the JKHCBA from holding elections.
Chaudhary had stated, “JKHCBA Srinagar constitution states the following as its first objective: ‘To find ways and means, take steps, for resolving the issues concerning the public at large including larger issue of peaceful settlement of Kashmir dispute…’ You are required to explain your position on the subject since it’s not in consonance with the Constitution of India, whereby J&K is an integral part of the country and not a dispute.”
JKHCBA appointed a legal cell to advise it. Very interestingly, it included Amin. The job of this legal cell is how to fail DC’s move to stop JKHCBA from holding elections.
While practising Indian law, JKHCBA does not believe in the Indian sovereignty of Jammu and Kashmir and is spearheading an anti-India campaign in the High Court Bar Association.
Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from IANS service.