Power Deptt on Thin Wire: 28 Out of 36 SE Posts Vacant

Jammu, Aug 6: J&K Electrical Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEGA) has sought immediate intervention of the Chief Minister and Principal Secretary Power Development Department (PDD) towards, what it chose to describe as “critical vacuum at top engineering positions in PDD.”

Association has called for “partial relaxation in the eligibility criterion for consideration of promotions from Executive Engineer to Superintending Engineer level as RDSS and CSS schemes are being affected due to vacant positions.”

Flagging this critical issue, JKEEGA general secretary Sachin Tickoo stated that against the total cadre strength of 36 posts of Superintending Engineers (E), existing strength at present remained as 8 only.

“As such number of vacancies, as on August 1, 2025 against the cadre strength, is 28, which in the coming months as a result of superannuation and promotions, is bound to get further increased and by the end of December, 2025 almost 33 posts will fall vacant,” he stated.

Assessing sensitivity and gravity of the subject matter, given the present scenario of vacancy position of Superintending Engineer SE (E), the issue was flagged and deliberated during the JKEEGA executive body, which met here in Jammu under the chairmanship of Tickoo and sought urgent intervention of the Chief Minister and Principal Secretary PDD towards it.

Tickoo, while deliberating the issue with the members, pointed out that the main bottleneck, coming in way of promotions at Superintending Engineer level, was that as per age old recruitment rules of 1978, three-year service as Executive Engineer, and minimum 17 years of gazetted service was mandatorily stipulated.

“Most of the officers presently holding the post of Executive Engineers are retiring within the next one year. Consequently in view of deficient qualifying service, none of the Executive Engineers will be eligible for promotions and a complete vacuum at the level of SE post, will be created and hence ultimately the Chief Engineer level will also get affected and stagnation at AE, AEE, XEN levels will be at its peak. The situation therefore, necessitates partial relaxation in the qualifying service required for the promotion to the level of Superintending Engineer,” he cautioned.

He suggested that as such, to maintain, bare minimum cadre strength at this level, relaxation in the eligibility criteria was needed to be considered.

“Reduction of qualifying service to one year as Executive Engineer for promotion to the post of Superintending Engineer out of the total cumulative Gazetted service of 17 years may be considered. Availability of SEs serving as the Controlling Officers being imperative for the functioning and overall operationalization of various Corporations of JKPDD,” Tickoo said.

Proposed relaxation would pave the way for the availability of vacancies at the level of Executive Engineers, and thus would provide opportunities to the aspiring AEEs for promotion to the next higher level, he said.

“As per the CSR rules, relaxation could be considered under Rule-5 of J&K Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1956, stating therein, that ‘any of these rules made, may for reasons to be recorded in writing, be relaxed by the Government in individual cases, if Government is satisfied that a strict application of the rule would cause hardship to the individual concerned or confer undue benefit on him’,” Tickoo quoted.

It was mentioned that relaxation was considered by Jal Shakti Department and formal government order too was issued under No 94-JK(JSD) of 2025 dated April 2, 2025, wherein such relaxation was granted and even promotions based on this relaxed criterion were issued at level of Superintending Engineer level in Jal Shakti Department.

Given the foregoing peculiar situation that arose, due to the delayed placements and promotions, there remained no option available other than to grant relaxation in years of experience as one time exception to address the grave and vital issue, JKEEGA executive body maintained.

“As such taking immediate cognizance of the factual position, JKEEGA appeals to the Chief Minister and Principal Secretary PDD for an early action with regard to the consideration of partial relaxation in the eligibility criterion for consideration of promotions from Executive Engineer to Superintending Engineer level, as delay will have serious ramifications and will be unaffordable for the Department as RDSS and CSS schemes are being affected due to vacant positions of Superintending Engineers,” Tickoo asserted.