Srinagar, September 01: Jammu and Kashmir government put on hold a legislation on its recruitment policy on the last day of the State Assembly’s current session today, ignoring protests from the ruling as well as opposition members from the valley.
The J and K Civil Services Decentraliation and Recruitment Bill, 2009 favours reservation of district cadre posts in various government departments for the candidates of the concerned district only, envisaging that no person from outside the district should be eligible for such posts.
The bill has become a contentious issue between ruling allies NC and Congress dividing them on regional lines in the House which witnessed uproarious scenes over the issue on Friday also.
While most of the members from the valley are in favour of the bill regardless of which party they belong to, those from Jammu are opposing it on the plea that its passage will mar the chances of SC/ST candidates who have a susbtantial presence in the region.
Cutting across party lines, MLAs from Kupwara district in the valley rose to their feet shortly after question hour, demanding that the bill be brought to the House for passage as promised by the government as it was the last day of the session.
They claimed that the Law Minister A M Sagar had assured the House that the bill will be passed in the current session.
However, they calmed down after being assured by both the Speaker and the Law Minister that the bill will be passed in the Assembly’s next session.
—Agencies