2PSC members to complete term in January

Srinagar: Two members of Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) would complete their term in January 2022, leaving the body with only seven members including chairperson.Details available reveal that Syed Iqbal Aga (former development commissioner works) and Sameer Bharati (former IFS officer) would complete their term on January 15 and January 28 respectively.

The members would complete their term as the Constitution of India provides that a member of the PSC shall hold the office for a term of six years or till the age of 62 years, whichever is earlier.Both Aga and Bharati would attain the age of 62 on these two days, making them ineligible to hold the office further.They were appointed as members of the body on June 24, 2020.

Before the reading down of J&K constitution by the central government in August 2019, a member of PSC could hold the office for a term of five years or till the age of 65 years, whichever was earlier.It is worthwhile to mention that after reorganization of J&K, the administration of the UT removed chairman and members of the prestigious body by invoking section 16 of Jammu and Kashmir Re-Organization (Removal of Difficulties) Order 2019.

Nearly seven months later, the government re-constituted PSC by appointing former Chief Secretary B.R. Sharma as its chairman and eight others as its members.Those appointed as members include S. Ahfadul Mujtaba(IPS officer), Syed Iqbal Aga, Sameer Bharati, Subash Gupta( (former district and sessions judge), Prof Showkat Ahmed Zargar( retired assistant professor), Zubair Ahmad Raza(former additional district & sessions Judge) and Farooq Lone( retired IAS officer).