J&K Govt terminates services of judge over ‘questionable’ RBA certificate

SRINAGAR — The Government of Jammu & Kashmir has terminated a judge who was appointed as judicial officer in 2000 on the basis of a Reserved Backward Certificate (RBA) whose genuineness was questioned.

On the recommendations of the Full Court of High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, the Lieutenant Governor has ordered the termination of services of Mohammad Yousuf Allai, civil judge (Jr. Division)/Munsiff (under suspension) with immediate effect.

Documents accessed by news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reveal that Allai is originally a resident of village Mirgund Tehsil but claimed to have shifted to backward village Shilvat of Tehsil Sonawari to which effect a certificate is claimed to have been issued by Tehsildar Sonawari on 3-12-1996 in terms of SRO-126 of 1994 where under any person residing in backward area for 15 years could claim the benefit of being a resident of a backward area.

In his report submitted to the High Court in 2005, Registrar Vigilance (Judicial) held that neither in 1977 nor anytime after that Allai had migrated to Rakh Shilavat village from Mirgund.

According to the inquiry report, Muhammad Sadeeq Ganie, chowkidar of Rak Shilavat, stated that none by the name of Muhammad Yosuf Allai resides or ever resided in the village.

“Gh. Hassan, the Lumberdar of the village, Rakh Shilavat, too has clearly stated that neither he had ever seen the person, Mohammad Yousuf Allai nor any such person resides in village Rakh Shilavat. Patwari Abdul Gani Baba has also stated that Muhammad Yousuf Allai did not reside in village Rakh Shilavat when he was posted as Patwari of that village,” read the inquiry report.