J&K Lt Governor's advisor to exit after elected government takes office

Srinagar, Oct 14 (IANS) J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha's advisor Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar is likely to demit office within a day or two as the elected government headed by National Conference leader Omar Abdullah is to be sworn in on Wednesday, sources said.

Official sources said that consequent upon the taking over by a Chief Minister and his council of ministers, Bhatnagar is expected to demit the office of the advisor, as the role of an advisor to the Lt Governor ceases to exit once an elected government is sworn in.

Bhatnagar, who retired as the Director General of the CRPF on December 31, 2019, was appointed as advisor to the then Lt Governor, G.C. Murmu in January 2020. During his tenure as the advisor to the Lt Governor, Bhatnagar held charge of key departments including Health & Medical Education, Public Works (R&B), Jal Shakti, Transport, Animal/Sheep Husbandry, Fisheries, Revenue, School Education, Higher Education, and Skill Development.

Most political appointments in Jammu and Kashmir, including advisors and consultants, and Chairpersons/Vice Chairpersons, excluding the Advocate General, are likely to be terminated in the current week.

An elected government, headed by Omar Abdullah, is expected to be sworn in on Wednesday as decks for the same have been cleared by the revocation of the President’s rule in J&K. In the 90-member legislative assembly, the NC has 42, and its allies, the Congress and the CPI-M have six and one members, respectively. Most of the 7 Independents and the sole AAP MLA have also extended their support to the NC government.

The BJP has 29 members, the PDP three, and the Peoples Conference one. Five MLAs will be nominated to the J&K Assembly by the Lt Governor on the recommendations of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Those nominated will include two women, two representatives of the Kashmir Pandit community and one representative of the West Pakistan refugees. All the nominated MLAs will have voting rights during government formation in J&K on the Puducherry model.

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