“Abusive, Threatening Behaviour Must Not Be Brushed Under Carpet”: CM Omar on IAS Officer’s Conduct
CM takes up alleged misconduct by senior IAS officer with Chief Secretary; says officer would have been attached to GAD pending inquiry had J&K been a state
Srinagar, Oct 16: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday strongly criticised the alleged misconduct by a senior IAS officer during an online government meeting, saying such behaviour must not be brushed under the carpet and that the junior JKAS officer involved must be protected against any retaliatory action.
In a post on X, as per news agency JKNS, CM Omar said he had watched the video of the online government meeting circulating on social media and observed that the senior officer’s conduct was prima facie not in keeping with the standards expected of an IAS officer.
“Prima facie the conduct of the senior officer was not in keeping with the standards expected of a senior IAS officer & the subsequent threats issued to a junior JKAS officer only make matters worse,” he said.
The Chief Minister said he had taken up the matter in the strongest possible terms with the Chief Secretary and instructed him to ensure that the junior JKAS officer did not face any retributive action.
In a subsequent post, Omar highlighted the limitations of the Union Territory’s administrative structure, saying that had Jammu and Kashmir been a state, the IAS officer would have been attached to the General Administration Department pending an inquiry into his conduct.
“Had J&K been a state the IAS officer seen abusing a young JKAS officer would have been attached to the General Administration Department pending an inquiry into his conduct,” he wrote.
“As a UT we expect the authorities with control over the IAS officers to set the right example & ensure abusive, threatening behaviour is not brushed under the carpet,” the Chief Minister added.
Omar’s remarks came amid widespread discussion over a video of an alleged verbal outburst by the senior IAS officer against a woman JKAS officer during an official review meeting. The video circulating on social media has triggered concerns over workplace dignity, professional conduct and accountability within the administration.
The Chief Minister’s intervention has brought the issue of administrative accountability and the handling of complaints involving senior officers into focus, with Omar calling for appropriate action and protection for the junior officer pending further proceedings. (JKNS)