SRINAGAR: The Joint Coordination Committee of the Engineering Graduates Association, Jammu and Kashmir, has called for a thorough, impartial and time-bound investigation into the alleged humiliation and intimidation of a female Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officer during an official online meeting.
In a statement, the committee condemned the reported incident and urged the government to take appropriate and stringent action against the officer concerned if the allegations are established through due process.
The committee is an amalgamation of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Engineering Graduates Association (JKCEGA) and the Jammu and Kashmir Mechanical Engineering Graduates Association (JKMEGA).
Extending its support to the JKAS Association and the wider administrative fraternity, the committee said dignity, mutual respect and professional conduct were essential for the effective functioning of the administration.
It maintained that no public servant should face humiliation, intimidation or misuse of official authority while performing official duties, irrespective of rank or designation.
The committee also flagged concerns over what it described as a troubling workplace culture in which subordinate officers were allegedly subjected to discourteous, high-handed or intimidating behaviour by their seniors. It stressed that engineering officers, too, must receive due professional respect and institutional dignity across the administrative hierarchy.
Emphasising accountability in official conduct, the committee said hierarchical structures should not be used to justify humiliation or undermine an officer’s self-respect.
It urged the Jammu and Kashmir Government to enforce the established service conduct rules and standard operating procedures (SOPs), besides putting in place effective mechanisms to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
The committee said accountability, fairness and respectful professional engagement were necessary to improve institutional efficiency, strengthen coordination between departments and ensure effective public service delivery.
It reiterated that respect for every public servant, regardless of gender, cadre, designation or seniority, was fundamental to good governance, and called on the administration to ensure a professional working environment free from intimidation.
