Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti has written to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, seeking an immediate review of the termination of government employees dismissed under Article 311(2)(C) by the Jammu and Kashmir administration. "The abrupt dismissal of government employees without due process, a pattern that started since 2019, has left many families devastated and, in some cases, destitute," Mufti wrote, demanding that the government set up a committee to review the termination cases. Over the last four years, the J-K administration has terminated 74 government employees under Article 311(2)(C) of the Constitution, which allows the government to act without seeking an explanation from them or holding an inquiry into their conduct. In most cases, the employees have been terminated citing "interest of the security of the state". They include a university professor, a scientist, a civil service officer and police officers. A majority of them are from Kashmir. “To remedy this, I propose the establishment of a review committee that can systematically reassess such cases,” Mufti wrote. She said the committee could work to reevaluate the dismissals by "conducting fair and thorough reviews" of each case and allowing the affected employees or their families to present their side of the story. She also urged for prioritising "humanitarian assistance" for families by swift financial relief, processing of entitlements, and developing clear guidelines to "prevent similar injustices in future". Mufti highlighted the case of Nazir Ahmad Wani, a naib tehsildar from Pulwama who recently died of cardiac arrest. Wani was terminated under Article 311(2)(C) by the government after he was booked by the police under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) some day after he wrote a letter to the District Magistrate against the then Superintendent of Police citing alleged highhandedness. "During a recent visit to the family of Mr Nazir Ahmad Wani in Bellow, Pulwama, I witnessed firsthand the painful consequences of such actions. Mr Wani, a dedicated Tehsildar, faced dismissal under Article 311, arrest under UAPA, and years of incarceration before the courts ultimately acquitted him of all charges. Tragically, his ordeal led to serious health complications, and he passed away from cardiac arrest on October 27, 2024. His grieving family, his wife and five children, now confronts not only the emotional loss but also significant bureaucratic delays in securing his pension and entitlements,” the letter reads. "The dismissal of individuals like Mr Wani, without formal inquiry or a chance for defence, affects more than the individuals; it strains their families and creates an atmosphere of uncertainty for all government employees in Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing these injustices is urgent,” she wrote. Calling the termination "administrative overreach", Mufti urged Omar to take "prompt and decisive action to correct these wrongs".
