After IAS topper Faesal, more J&K officials eye politics switch

A JUDGE RESIGNED CITING PERSONAL REASONS ON FRIDAY AND SEVERAL MORE MAY BE PLANNING TO QUIT TO CONTEST POLLS

SRINAGAR: Around a dozen government, police, and judicial officers in Jammu & Kashmir are seeking (or considering) voluntary retirement to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha or assembly elections.

On Wednesday, Shah Faesal , who topped the Indian Administrative Services exam in 2010, resigned from the service, and is expected to join a political party and contest the elections.

On Friday, Principal and Sessions Judge, Anantnag, Syed Towqeer wrote to the Registrar General of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court seeking voluntary retirement. Although he has cited personal reasons, HT learns that he may contest the assembly elections from South Kashmir’s Kokernag assembly seat and will be joining the National Conference in coming days.

“I have still service up to 2024 but I want to leave due to personnel reasons. Once free I can do anything which suits me,” Towqeer said.

National Conference provisional president Nasir Aslam Wani said that party will welcome all people from different walks of life who have clean image to join them. “We will be glad to have them. Not only bureaucrats, doctors members of civil society should join politics and contribute to their society,” he said.

Another senior judge who hails from north Kashmir and is currently living in Srinagar is also contemplating a career in politics and may contest from Baramulla constituency on a National Conference ticket, a National Conference local leader said.

The judge is yet to get an assurance from top NC leadership on whether he will be the party’s candidate from Baramulla.