Junior Officers in Senior Roles Raise Allegations of Favoritism
Imran Naikoo
Srinagar, June 6, 2025 (Evening): On the eve of Eid, employees of the Agriculture Department in Jammu and Kashmir find themselves in distress as nearly 1,000 workers await their salaries. The delay stems from the government’s failure to fill several vacant Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) posts, leaving many staff members unpaid just a day before the festival.
In a last-minute attempt to address the issue, temporary DDO powers were delegated late in the evening under Government Order No. 251-JK(APD) of 2025, dated June 5, 2025. Officers assigned these responsibilities include Mujtaba Yahya as Agriculture Chemist, Srinagar; Krishan Kant as Mushroom Specialist, Srinagar; and Rohit Gupta as Area Development Officer (Veg). Pulwama. Other assignments include Zahoor Ahmad Dar as Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer Ganderbal and Ghulam Hassan Gorsi as Assistant Soil Conservation Officer Budgam. These officers have been tasked with temporarily managing DDO duties in their respective areas.
“Issuing such an order a day before Eid serves no purpose. The delay has tied our hands and tightened our mouths. We are left helpless when we should be celebrating with our families,” said a senior officer on the condition of anonymity.
According to highly placed sources, several junior officers have been elevated to senior roles despite the availability of experienced staff. For instance, Aijaz Ahmad Khan, Agriculture Extension Assistant on the establishment of CAO Budgam was assigned the charge of In-charge Seed Multiplication farm Gangbugh Srinagar under Agriculture Order No. 191/Estt of 2025, dated May 31, 2025. Similarly, Muzaffar-U-Zaman Wani I/C Junior Agriculture Extension Officer was given charge as Fertilizer Inspector for Srinagar and Budgam under Agriculture Order No. 195/Estt of 2025, dated May 4, 2025.
Other junior appointments include Ajaz Ahmad Malik, I/C JAEO Kupwara, who was promoted as Law Enforcement Inspector Kupwara under Order No. 195/Estt of 2025.
Employees have voiced concerns over these appointments, alleging that “blue-eyed” individuals are being rewarded with higher posts while experienced seniors are sidelined. This favoritism has led to widespread discontent, with many questioning the criteria behind such decisions.
Adding to the controversy, speculation has arisen regarding the motivations behind these assignments, particularly as the Director of Agriculture is set to retire later this month. “The timing of these orders, coupled with the perceived favoritism, has further eroded employee trust in the administration,” said another senior official.
Addressing the salary issue, the Director of Agriculture stated, “The bills are currently with the treasury, and the matter will be resolved there. Whether the salary is released before Eid or after is now the responsibility of the treasury. My role in this process is complete; the treasury is not under my control.”
On allegations of favoritism, the Director refuted the claims, stating, “There is no such practice. We are not issuing any orders in this regard. Some orders had discrepancies, which were subsequently canceled by the government. We ensure that all employees are given equal responsibilities. The government has canceled some additional charges and deployments that were previously in place. Those employees who had transferred to other positions are being reassigned to their original postings.”
When contacted, the Treasury Officer, Lal Mandi, Srinagar, explained, “We have processed the demand for all the bills that we have received so far. For the bills that are submitted to us tomorrow, we will discuss the matter with the higher authorities. If we receive the necessary orders, we will release the salaries of all employees tomorrow itself.”
(Gulistan News)
