By IANS,
Srinagar : Like every winter, the Jammu and Kashmir government will shift base from Srinagar to Jammu on schedule despite reports that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was under pressure not to make the annual Darbar move this year due to unrest in the valley.
In keeping with a tradition begun by the erstwhile Dogra kings of the state, the Darbar move will sees government offices here close down Oct 29 and open in winter capital Jammu Nov 8, a government press release said here late Monday.
The move sees the civil secretariat and all other offices of the major heads of departments shuttle between the two cities on a six monthly basis.
The offices of the chief minister, his ministerial colleagues and all senior bureaucrats function for six summer months in Srinagar and for six winter months in Jammu.
Some media reports had said here that leaders of the Congress, an ally of the ruling National Conference, had mounted pressure on Abdullah to continue functioning in Srinagar till the ongoing cycle of violence ended here.
So far, 109 people have lost their lives in the unrest that began June 11.
Asked to comment on these media reports, a senior bureaucrat said: “Nothing prevents the chief minister from being present in Srinagar or in Jammu irrespective of where the civil secretariat is based.
“I am not authorised to make a political comment and, therefore, I cannot confirm any pressure from the Congress in this regard.”
A senior National Conference leader said: “At best, the view expressed by some Congress leader should be treated as his personal view that does not in any way reflect the stand of the Congress party as the ruling coalition partner.”