Centre changes tack, lifts job cap for Jammu & Kashmir domiciles
NEW DELHI: Three days after the new domicile rules created a lot of heartburn in Jammu & Kashmir, the Centre expanded their ambit on Friday by giving all domiciles exclusive rights over all government jobs in the Union Territory.
Friday’s order reverses the gazette notification issued on March 31, which reserved only low-ranking positions for residents of the Union Territory in government jobs, while opening up posts drawing better pay to people from across the country. The earlier notification had stated that job protection would be given to domiciles only in posts with a pay scale of not more than Rs 25,500.
The new notification issued late on Friday night amended the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation and Recruitment Act) and inserted the words “any post” while knocking off ‘for a post carrying a pay scale of not more than level-4 (Rs 25,000)’.
The domicile rules had triggered a lot of adverse reactions among people and politicians of the region.“Only Class IV jobs have been reserved for the original state subjects. What can be more demeaning than this?” National Conference chief spokesperson Syed Mahdi had earlier tweeted.