Srinagar, Jan 22 : Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Thursday expressed serious concern over what he described as a disproportionate shortlisting of candidates from the Kashmir Valley in the Civil Services (Judicial) Mains Examination and demanded that the declared results be kept in abeyance pending a transparent inquiry.
In a statement, Bukhari said only 13 out of 124 candidates shortlisted for the viva voce stage belong to the Kashmir Valley, while 111 candidates are from the Jammu division, calling the imbalance “deeply troubling”.
“The candidates from the Valley who have been dropped have raised allegations of serious irregularities and lack of transparency in the examination results. Given the stark regional imbalance reflected in the shortlist, these concerns cannot be brushed aside and merit a fair and impartial investigation,” he said.
Bukhari urged the authorities to initiate a probe into the matter and suspend the operation of the results until the inquiry is completed.
The Apni Party leader also accused major political parties of polarising Jammu and the Kashmir Valley along religious lines for electoral gains during the 2024 Assembly elections. He said the Bharatiya Janata Party communalised political discourse in Jammu, while the National Conference adopted a similar approach in the Valley.
“Both parties benefited electorally from this polarisation, but the damage was inflicted on the secular fabric and social harmony of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Referring to recent controversies, Bukhari said even merit-based selection processes were being communalised. He cited the case of MBBS admissions at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), Katra, alleging that political interference had harmed public interest and social trust.
He further alleged that similar considerations now appear to be influencing the Civil Services (Judicial) examination, given the skewed ratio of shortlisted candidates.
Bukhari appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene in the matter.
“At a time when mistrust prevails across regions, the responsible course is to keep the results in abeyance and order a transparent, independent inquiry,” he said.(KNS).
