HC orders full-fledged inquiry

Srinagar, July 11:The High Court of J&K and Ladakh ordered a full-fledged inquiry regarding paying an honorarium to an Angawari worker for 4 years despite being disengaged from services in the Rohama area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

A bench of Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul also ordered that the amount paid to the Anganwari worker be deducted from the officers who would be found involved in the delinquency.

The court observed it as “startling” that for 4 years, the authorities remained dormant while permitting the Anganwari worker to continue to work after issuing a disengagement order dated December 28, 2010.

The court noted that it was not known how and why the authorities permitted and allowed the Anganwari worker to continue to work from the date of issuance of disengagement till the date of order of status quo passed by a bench of the court in a writ petition on February 25, 2014.

“This again reflects and suggests volumes, which requires to be dealt with an iron hand,” it said.

“So, the Chief Secretary of J&K is directed to conduct a full-fledged and in-depth inquiry into the matter by the team of officers, preferably, headed by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) concerned or Director, Social Welfare Department, Kashmir, or by an officer of the same rank, and fix the responsibility on the officers and officials who were at the helm of affairs vis-à-vis the instant subject matter,” the court said.

It also directed the authorities to proceed against such officers who are found to have committed acts of omission and commission.

“Let such exercise be undertaken and concluded within eight weeks from today. Compliance to this effect shall be filed within two weeks thereafter,” the court said and listed the matter on October 1.