“Not guilty until proven”: Omar Abdullah on dismissal of four govt employees in J-K

Following the dismissal of four government employees in Jammu and Kashmir in the “interest of the security of the state”, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that the employees have the right to appeal against their dismissal, adding that innocence is a legal principle that every person accused of any crime is considered innocent until proven guilty.
“Sacked employees should have the right to appeal. As per the law, everyone also has the right to appeal and is not guilty until proven.” Abdullah said while speaking to the reporters in Budgam.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has terminated the services of four government employees, including a doctor, in the “interest of the security of the state”.
Commissioner/Secretary, General Administration Department of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, in the order, said that in the interest of the security of the state, it is not expedient to hold an inquiry in all these cases.
“Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, after considering the facts and circumstances of these individual cases and on the basis of the information available, is satisfied that the activities of the following persons are such as to warrant their dismissal from their service,” reads the order.
The government has invoked 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution of India to sack the four government employees identified as Dr. Nissar-ul-Hassan, Assistant Professor (Medicine), SMHS Hospital, Srinagar; Abdul Majeed Bhat, a constable in Jammu and Kashmir police; Farooq Ahmad Mir, a teacher in the Higher Education Department; and Abdul Salam Rather, a laboratory bearer in the Higher Education Department.
The order issued on November 21 will be implemented with immediate effect.
The dismissal of the four government officers follows J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s policy of “zero tolerance against terrorism.”.
In July, the government of Jammu and Kashmir terminated the services of three state employees for allegedly working with Pakistan-backed terror outfits.
In the last three years, the Union Territory administration has invoked 311 (2)(c) of the Constitution to sack more than 50 employees who were drawing a salary from the government but were allegedly aiding Pakistan-based terror outfits.