J&K PW(R&B) Department Corrects Administrative Oversight

Ankush Kumar

In a recent development, the Jammu & Kashmir Public Works Department (PWD) has annulled the regularization order for Er. Mohd. Aslam Baba, the erstwhile In-Charge Executive Engineer, cited an administrative oversight.

Er. Mohd. Aslam Baba, through a formal representation to the department, highlighted an anomaly in his regularization process. His representation indicated that the regularization, as per Government Order No. 118-PW(R&B) of 2023 dated March 20, 2023, was erroneously implemented one month after his retirement.

Upon thorough examination, it was revealed that Er. Mohd. Aslam Baba, listed at Serial Number 48 in the seniority roster issued by the government, holds a birth date of June 12, 1960. He was included in a Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meeting chaired by Mr. Satish Chandra, Hon’ble Chairman of the Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC), held on October 19, 2022. This meeting aimed at regularizing Lower Cadre Executive Engineers (Civil), where 33 such engineers, including Er. Mohd. Aslam Baba were approved for regularization.

However, an administrative discrepancy surfaced regarding Er. Mohd. Aslam Baba’s date of regularization, which was mistakenly noted as July 24, 2020, post his retirement on June 30, 2020. The matter was escalated to the JKPSC, which affirmed that Er. Mohd. Aslam Baba’s regularization was recommended based on the eligibility criteria provided by the Department, considering his date of birth and seniority position. The JKPSC clarified that had his correct birth date been considered, he would not have been recommended for regularization, as he would have retired before the vacancy arose.

Upon reevaluation, the PWD acknowledged the inadvertent error in recording Er. Mohd. Aslam Baba’s Date of Retirement (DoR) as December 31, 2020, instead of the correct date, June 30, 2020. Consequently, with the endorsement of the Competent Authority, the regularization order, issued vide Government Order No. 118-PW(R&B) of 2023 dated March 20, 2023, effective July 24, 2020, stands rescinded ab initio.

This corrective action aligns with ensuring procedural integrity within the department and upholding the principles of fairness and transparency in administrative processes.