Speaking to media persons at the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) provincial headquarters in Jammu, Choudhary questioned why bureaucrats and police officers hailing from Jammu and Kashmir are routinely being posted to other states and Union Territories instead of having their administrative expertise leveraged for local governance and development.
Key Highlights of Choudhary’s Claims
Displacement of Local Administrative Talent:
Choudhary criticized the ongoing reshuffles under the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh–Goa–Mizoram and Union Territories) cadre, pointing out that local officers who understand the region’s unique geography, public grievances, and socio-political nuances are being transferred to distant postings like Delhi, Arunachal Pradesh, and Goa.
Marginalization of Local Representation:
He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of ignoring genuine regional concerns, emphasizing that vital administrative responsibilities in J&K are increasingly handed to outside cadres, while native officers are dispatched elsewhere.
Broader Governance Questions:
Beyond civil services, Choudhary questioned why non-local academics are consistently appointed as Vice-Chancellors in Jammu’s universities and pressed for clarity on youth unemployment and stalled infrastructure projects between 2014 and 2024.
Push for Full Statehood:
Reiterating the stance of the Omar Abdullah-led administration, Choudhary urged the Centre to fulfill commitments made in Parliament and before the Supreme Court to restore full statehood, which would return Cadre Controlling Authority and administrative independence to the elected local government.
The Administrative Context
Following the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 and the subsequent merger of the J&K cadre into the AGMUT cadre, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) exercises direct control over civil service transfers in the region. Recent rounds of transfers saw senior bureaucrats and police personnel moved across Union Territories, sparking repeated pushback from regional leaders who argue that sidelining local officers undermines grass-roots administrative efficiency.
Choudhary asserted that the Omar Abdullah government remains focused on essential public services—including infrastructure, water supply, and education—but stressed that retaining homegrown administrative leadership is essential to deliver people-centric governance.
