KL NEWS NETWORK

SRINAGAR

For the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, the bureaucracy has become headless after Iqbal Khanday quit the top bureaucratic office on Monday. He was retiring in November but resigned for his differences with government.

Khanday did not attend office on Tuesday even though the state government has not taken a decision on his request for voluntary retirement yet.

Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed flew home Tuesday morning and visited Secretariat after staying away from J&K for around nine days. Party sources said he had gone to Mumbai and later to Chennai to meet his son and daughter. Reports suggested the doctors had advised him rest as frequent travelling had exhausted him. He straightway drove home.

An official spokesperson said the decision on new chief secretary will be taken in due course of time. It was not immediately known if the decision would be taken by the Chief Minister or the case would be discussed in the cabinet. Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh had also stated that the decision would be taken soon after Chief Minister’s return.

Meanwhile, four senior IAS officers – Sonali Kumar, Khurshid Ganai, Arun Kumar and B R Sharma – are in race for the top post. But Sharma who attended two cabinet meetings in absence of Khanday is said to be favourite for the post.

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