Jammu born top babu B R Sharma appointed J&K PSC Chairman, to hold post till the age of 62 years

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday appointed Jammu born former Chief Secretary BR Sharma as chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission. With this Jammu has wrested the control of the second most prestigious public institution Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission after loosing control over Jammu & Kashmir Bank. As reported already the J&K Bank Chairman R K Chibber is holding the key position on post retirement extension of the three months and similarly J&K Board of School Education Vice Chairperson Viena Pandit is also holding another key position on post retirement of two months.
The General Administration Department on Tuesday morning issued a formal order of appointment. According to the order Sharma, a J&K cadre IAS officer from Jammu division shall hold the position of Chairman Public Service Commission till he attains the age of sixty two years. Sharma is a former Chief Secretary of erst while Jammu & Kashmir state and was sent on deputation to central government by the erstwhile Mehbooba Mufti led PDP- BJP coalition government. B B Vyas presently a sitting member of the Union Public Service Commission had replaced him as Chief Secretary of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state. He had very recently met Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh and Lt Governor Grish Chander Murmu. Prior to his appointment as Chairman Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission (J&K PSC) Sharma was holding the position of Staff Selection Commission the Central Government’s biggest recruiting body for the All India non gazetted posts and services. B R Sharma as Chief Secretary of the state was known for his soft peddling but was unceremoniously removed by the PDP-BJP government headed by Mehbooba Mufti. It may be recalled here that central government had terminated the services of former Chairman Lateef U Zaman Deva and other members of the commission before the completion of their five year term after the abrogation of article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu & Kashmir state into two union territories in August last year. Deva and other member of the commission were interestingly appointed by the erstwhile PDP-BJP government headed by late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in the year 2020.