Afaq Bhat
Srinagar, Dec 8: During the past few days the Jammu and Kashmir administration has acted tough against the employees who have violated Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
On Tuesday district administration Kupwara placed two employees under suspension for ‘violating’ MCC, enforced in view of ongoing District Development Council elections.
One of the employees was suspended on the allegations about his participation in election related activities. Another was suspended for taking part in the campaigning for a DDC candidate.
An official while talking to Precious Kashmir said, “These are not the isolated cases. Since the DDC elections have commenced many employees have faced the music for violating the MCC.”
He said that the directions for the government employees are clear that they cannot cross the line. “The government employees cannot indulge in any sort of election activity. The administration has acted against the employees against whom complaints have been received,” the official added.
A politician while referring to the ongoing campaign during the DDC polls, said, “This is not for the first time that the government officials are taking part in the electoral process. It used to happen in the past as well and this time also its happening. But this time around the administration is taking a serious note of such complaints and is acting swiftly against the officials, who are violating the norms.”
An observer said that the ongoing DDC polls have generated a lot of enthusiasm and people are coming forward to support their candidates. “Basically these are grass root elections and the candidates are one among the crowd that’s why we are seeing everyone campaigning for his/her candidate. But the government employees should bear in mind that they have to follow the norms and they cannot cross the line,” he added.
An official said, “Only those employees are getting caught for the MCC violation against whom the complaints are surfacing. The ones who are not getting noticed are carrying on with their practices.”
He said, “In Jammu region many complaints of the MCC violation have surfaced during the past one month. There also employees are facing the action.”
The official said that after J&K’s transition into a union territory rules have become more stringent. “Otherwise employees indulging in election campaigning was routine in the erstwhile J&K state. On many occasions the government employees used to make all the arrangements for the political rallies and no action was taken against them. Now, the rules of the game have changed and the employees are facing the heat,” the official added.
Govt employees facing heat for violating MCC
