Sri Nagar: With upcoming Lok Sabha Elections just months ahead, urge to have a political switch really seems to have got into the heads of public servants who are willing to quit or seek voluntary retirement in order to contest the assembly elections.
Shortly after IAS topper, Shah Faisal has called it quits on Wednesday, around a dozen government, police, and judicial officers in Jammu & Kashmir are too considering voluntary retirement to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha, HT reports.
Shah Faesal topped the 2010 Indian Administrative Services exam and quit civil services in order to contest in the upcoming elections.
Just two days after IAS Faisal submitted his resignation, Syed Towqeer Principal and Sessions Judge, Anantnag on Friday wrote to the Registrar General of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court seeking voluntary retirement, HT reports.
Although Mr. Towqeer cited personal reasons, sources revealed he is too interested in the political switch and may probably contest the assembly elections from South Kashmir’s Kokernag assembly seat and will be joining the National Conference in coming days.
“I have still service up to 2024 but I want to leave due to personnel reasons. Once free I can do anything which suits me,” Touqeer said.
Responding to these resignations, National Conference provisional president Nasir Aslam Wani said that party will welcome all people from different walks of life who have a clean image to join them.
“ We will be glad to have them. Not only bureaucrats but doctors members of civil society should also join politics and contribute to their society,” he said.
Another senior judge who hails from north Kashmir and is currently living in Srinagar is also planning to enter politics and may probably contest from Baramulla constituency on a National Conference ticket, a National Conference local leader said.
The judge’s assurance is still awaited.
Last month, former SSP Srinagar Riyaz Bedar who hails from north Kashmir’s Pattan settled in Srinagar joined the National Conference. He shall be contesting the elections from Pattan against former minister and senior Peoples Conference leader Imran Reza Ansari.
According to sources, there have also been speculations of another bureaucrat Asghar Ali seeking retirement to join politics.
“I have not sought voluntary retirement yet. There are rumors about many bureaucrats. I will talk to you at an appropriate time,’’ Ali had told media.
Raja Ajaz Ali former Inspector General of Police (Crime) Raja Ajaz Ali who joined the PDP ahead of the 2014 elections and contested assembly polls from Uri resigned from the party and joined the Peoples Conference of Sajjad Lone.
He is likely to contest from Uri assembly constituency.