In a first, special tribunal to redress employees’ issues

Srinagar: Post abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir government has gone into an overdrive to implement 1985 law and set-up a special tribunal to address the grievances of its employees in the restive state.

The Government of India had passed the tribunal law in 1985 with an aim to redress employees’ issues. Subsequently, the law was implemented across the country except Jammu and Kashmir because of its special status under Article 370.

Despite repeated reminders by the Centre, successive governments in Jammu and Kashmir did not establish the special tribunal for its employees.
With the abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to set up special tribunal, which will start functioning from November 1.

Sources said there are around 27,000 employees’ related cases pending in courts in the state. “All these cases will be shifted to special tribunal for adjudication. Besides deciding old cases, the tribunal will hear new cases too,” sources said.

The cases pending in the courts include objections to recruitments, promotions, transfers, pensioners, and harassment to employees. There are at present 4.50 lakh state government employees and 1.60 lakh pensioners in Jammu and Kashmir.

Since special status of the state has been abrogated, Central laws will now be directly implemented in Jammu and Kashmir without concurrence of the legislature. Sources said that tribunal will be headed by a high court judge who will be designated as its chairman. Members of the tribunal shall be appointed by the government.

“A process has been initiated to appoint chairman, members and office bearers of the tribunal. The government is also in the process of setting up offices in Srinagar and Jammu,” sources said.

Sources said that tribunal would hear the employees related cases on the fast track basis. “Thousands of employees related cases are pending for years in High Court and other courts of Jammu and Kashmir. Once the tribunal starts functioning, all these cases are expected to be cleared in two years,” they said.