Jammu and Kashmir Bill merges cadre with AGMUT to address officer shortage

This Bill amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 to merge the existing Jammu and Kashmir cadre of All India Services (IAS, IPS, IFS) with the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre to address officer shortages. It also clarifies the applicability of constitutional provisions regarding the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory.

Who it concerns: The Bill affects the administration of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, specifically the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers currently serving in the Jammu and Kashmir cadre, as well as the Central Government which frames the relevant rules.

What the bill does

• Amends Section 13 of the 2019 Act to include any other article containing reference to elected members of the Legislative Assembly of the State.
• Substitutes sub-sections (2) to (6) of Section 88 of the 2019 Act.
• Merges the existing Jammu and Kashmir cadre of IAS, IPS, and IFS officers into the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre.
• Specifies that future allocations of All India Service officers for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be made to the AGMUT cadre.
• States that officers in the AGMUT cadre will function in accordance with rules framed by the Central Government.
• Repeals the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021.

Also in the document

• The Bill is deemed to have come into force on the 7th day of January, 2021.
• It repeals the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 (Ord. 1 of 2021).
• The Statement of Objects and Reasons cites a 'huge deficiency' of All India Service officers in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as the reason for the merger.