Kashmiri valley finds itself at the receiving end from the day Governor Satya Pal Malik took over the reigns of power in the state from his predecessor N N Vohra as Kashmir finds not only underrepresented but also mis-represented in the State Administrative Council (SAC) the highest decision of the Government vested with the powers which are exercised by the cabinet during popular rule in the state. The only advisor from Kashmir Khursheed Ahmad Ganai was divested of the key portfolios and given the insignificant portfolios in November 2018 when K K Sharma a former Chief Secretary of Delhi from Kathua district of Jammu region was inducted as fourth advisor to governor. After the resignation of former advisor to governor B B Vayas it took almost a month for the governor to re-allocate among his three advisors the portfolios which were held by Vyas before his resignation . Shockingly the governor did not bother to even return the portfolios of Horticulture and Agriculture departments to only advisor from Kashmir Khursheed Ahmad Ganai which he took away from him on the day of reallocation of portfolios among his four advisors after Sharma’s joining in November 2018. The Governor has now surprisingly allocated portfolios of some key departments independently to Chief Secretary with the powers of an advisor besides giving ministerial powers to some administrative secretaries of some departments on selective basis.
Had Ganai dared to seek balance of power in the allotment of portfolios the governor would not reduce the position of Khursheed Ahmad Ganai to a lame duck advisor and elevate the position of Chief Secretary to that of an advisor with key portfolios.
While K K Sharma and K Vijay Kumar have been allotted most of the key portfolios held by Vyas till his quitting the only advisor from Kashmir Khursheed Ahmad Gani has been offered just one significant portfolio of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department from Vyas’s quota of significant portfolios. Knowing that Khursheed Gani the only advisor from Kashmir is not proving assertive enough to show resistance against disproportionate distribution of key portfolios among his advisors the governor has now elevated the position of Chief Secretary to the rank of advisor with key portfolios. Had Ganai dared to seek balance of power in the allotment of portfolios the governor would not reduce the position of Khursheed Ahmad Ganai to a lame duck advisor and elevate the position of Chief Secretary to that of an advisor with key portfolios.
