Jammu, November 10 (Scoop News) – Prof. Bhim Singh, Chairman, National Panthers Party who is also an Executive Chairman of the State Legal Aid Committee in a notice to the Chief Minister of J&K has asked him to withdraw the so-called SRO reducing the salary of newly drafted non-gazetted employees to a half as this SRO is absolutely absurd, unconstitutional, improper, illegal and mala-fide which does not stand the test of constitutional validity.
A similar SRO was issued in 1981 by the government of Sheikh Abdullah reducing the salaries of the newly drafted non-gazetted as well gazette employees to a half for first two years. They had to pass a special test and obtain letter of satisfactory conduct from their seniors before claiming full salary after two years.
Prof. Bhim Singh who was an MLA and Advocate. Failed to get support of the Congress party of which he was a senior legislator. Prof. Bhim Singh had to resign from the MLA ship and the Congress party, for the reason among other things, in protest against this law and Resettlement Act which Sheikh Abdullah passed with the help of the Congress.
Prof. Bhim Singh went in PIL before the High Court of J&K. After pursuing the matter for nearly 18 months he succeeded in the High Court when the then Chief Justice of J&K High Court, Shri Bahuddin Farooqi’s bench quashed that SRO. The government failed to seek any relief from the Supreme Court. The government had to pay the entire balance with interest to the employees in the government and the police as well. Prof. Bhim Singh did not charge a single penny from any person or employee.
Prof. Bhim Singh has served a notice on the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah warning him to withdraw this draconian anti-people SRO within one month from this day or face contempt of the High Court as well as a PIL seeking dismissal of such a horrorful draconian law aiming to suck the blood of the new generation.