Doda, August 5: As the abrogation of Article 370 marks its sixth anniversary today, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has dismissed over 75 government employees for alleged involvement in anti-national activities and terror links, officials said. The move is part of a larger crackdown launched by the government to dismantle what it describes as the “terror ecosystem” in the Union Territory.
The process of dismissals began in 2020, following the extension of Article 311(2)(c) provisions to Jammu and Kashmir, which allows for termination of government employees without an inquiry in the interest of the security of the state.
These employees, working across various government departments, have been accused of aiding terrorism, propagating separatist ideology, and maintaining links with proscribed outfits. The government maintains that such measures are essential to ensure accountability within the public sector and to curb the indirect support structures that enable militancy in the region.
“Action is being taken only after proper verification and intelligence inputs. The aim is to cleanse the administration of elements who misuse their official position to support anti-national agendas,” a senior official familiar with the process said on condition of anonymity.
The dismissals come in the broader context of the government’s post-Article 370 strategy, which it claims is aimed at fostering peace, security, and development in Jammu and Kashmir. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while defending the abrogation in Parliament in 2019, had said that Articles 370 and 35A were a barrier to the region’s progress and a contributing factor to separatism and terrorism.
In addition to action against individual employees, the administration has also targeted separatist organisations and banned groups like Jamaat-e-Islami. Raids, seizures of assets, and curbs on the flow of funds have been implemented over the past few years.
However, similar dismissals in the past—particularly in 1995 and 2016—were later overturned by the courts, leading to the reinstatement of several employees. Legal experts point out that the use of Article 311(2)(c), which circumvents a formal inquiry process, may face judicial scrutiny if challenged.
Civil society groups and employee unions have raised concerns over the lack of transparency in some of these dismissals, alleging that they may undermine due process and natural justice. Nonetheless, the administration continues to defend the decisions as necessary steps in the ongoing battle against terrorism.
As Jammu and Kashmir enters its seventh year post the constitutional changes of August 5, 2019, the long-term impact of such administrative and security measures remains to be fully seen.
(Inputs from reports)
The Chenab Times News Desk