Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Feb 10: At least nine District Development Council (DDC) members from Shopian on Thursday wrote to additional Deputy Commissioner Shopian, who is also Chief Executive Officer DDC, urging him to constitute the standing committees afresh alleging that these committees have been constituted in violation of the set norms.
The DDC members also alleged that they have not participated in the meeting neither physically nor virtually besides that no consent has been sought from them about formation of standing committees.
The DDC members, who have written to the authorities, include Raja Waheed, Muzzafar Ahmad Wagay, Choudhary Ab Hameed Sheikh, Safiya Reyaz, Aijaz Ahmad Mir, Mehmooda Nisar, Mohammad Maqbool Chopan, Tahir Ahmad Mir and Ab Rashid Mir.
The letter shot to ADDC Shopian by the DDC members, reads: “Your office has circulated an order by virtue of minutes of meeting reportedly held on 4/01/2021 (not 2022) virtual mode, where in all the 14 members of the DDC have been shown to have participated along with ADDC and other officials and in the said meeting five standing committees have been shown framed/constituted consisting one chairman and two members each.”
The letter states that in this regard, it is to submit that to the knowledge and belief of under signed members that “we have not participated any such meeting physically or virtually and neither any consent nor approval has been sought from the U/S members regarding the constitution of the standing committees.”
The letter reads that as per the rules, regulations and legal ethics all the 14 members are to be covered / adjusted/accommodated, as a member of the either committees, but unfortunately two well qualified and experienced DDC members have not been included in any of the standing committees.
“More so, some DDC members have been appointed as Chairman of the Standing Committee while as the same members has been repeated as a member of other standing committees, which is against the legal ethics and rules thereof, when the other DDC members, where available to fill-up the vacancies,” the letter reads, adding that that as the committees framed are without seeking the consent of the U/S members and same has been done arbitrarily at the will of some officials at the behest of Chairperson and Vice Chairman, which has tell upon the whole process and transparency of the standing committees.”
The letter further states in the premises, it is requested that the standing committees framed/Constituted be declared dissolved and the fresh standing committees be constituted as per the norms and principal of justice, covering all the elected DDC members.”
One of the DDC members said that they have not participated in the meeting and if five committees were constituted, that means 15 candidates should have been accommodated.
He said that how authorities have left two well qualified DDC members including former MLA Aijaz Ahmad Mir and Raja Waheed as both aren’t part of any committee.
It is pertinent to mention here that government on 04 February said that the DDC Shopian formed five standing committees on finance, development, public works, health and education, and welfare.
According to the minutes of the meeting issued by the Additional Deputy Development Commissioner, who is also the Chief Executive Officer DDC Shopian, all the 14 members of the council participated in the meeting virtually.
Presently, the council includes six members from Apni Party, four from NC, three from PDP and one independent.
