Srinagar, Oct 2: The Jammu and Kashmir Electrical Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEGA) has raised strong concern over the prolonged delay in the regularisation and confirmation of Power Engineers, stating that the continued practice of making promotions on an in-charge basis has created disparities in status, seniority and financial benefits across the engineering cadre.
A statement said that at present, promotions from Junior Engineer (JE) to Assistant Engineer (AE), Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), Executive Engineer (XEN), Superintending Engineer (SE), Chief Engineer and other higher positions, including Managing Director-level assignments, are being made on an in-charge basis.
The Association said that while officers are entrusted with the duties, responsibilities and accountability of higher posts, they continue to draw salaries against their substantive posts because their promotions have not attained regular status.
JKEEGA claimed that there are officers presently functioning as Superintending Engineers and Chief Engineers who continue to draw salaries against substantially lower substantive posts, despite discharging the responsibilities attached to senior positions.
The Association said that while in-charge arrangements may meet immediate administrative requirements, they cannot be treated as a substitute for regular promotion, confirmation and settlement of seniority.
The issue, according to JKEEGA, has remained pending for several years despite decisions taken by the State Administrative Council (SAC).
Following the restructuring and unbundling of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department, Government Orders No. 191-PDD of 2019 dated October 23, 2019, and 199-PDD of 2019 dated October 30, 2019, were issued in connection with migration and related service matters.
The Association said the issue of regularisation was subsequently considered pursuant to the SAC decision of October 22, 2019, under which proposals for regular promotion of Power Engineers were to be processed on a fast-track basis and the process completed within two months, by November 30, 2019.
According to JKEEGA, the decision also provided for the cases to be processed without reference to the Public Service Commission as a one-time exception within the prescribed timeframe.
“Despite the specific timeline prescribed by the competent authority, the process has remained pending for several years,” the Association said.
It said that only five regularisation orders have been issued so far, leaving the wider issue unresolved.
The matter was recently considered by the Establishment-cum-Selection Committee at its meeting on July 23, 2026. A proposal concerning the regularisation of Power Engineers at different levels, including the issue of JE seniority and its consequential impact on the entire engineering cadre, was placed before the committee.
JKEEGA said the committee advised that the proposal be placed before the Council of Ministers for seeking an extension of the relevant 2019 SAC decision before further processing.
The Association expressed concern that, despite the committee’s proceedings, the proposal has not yet been placed before the Council of Ministers for seeking the requisite extension.
JKEEGA said the continued delay in acting upon the committee’s recommendations was prolonging uncertainty over the regularisation and confirmation of Power Engineers and having a cascading impact on the promotional hierarchy of the entire engineering cadre.
The Association urged the administrative department to process the matter on priority and act upon the directions contained in the committee proceedings without further delay.
JKEEGA also raised questions over what it described as a disparity in the treatment of different services. It argued that officers in various other services receive the pay and service benefits attached to posts against which they are regularly appointed or promoted, and sought a uniform approach for Power Engineers as well.
The Association said the issue has a direct bearing on the entire promotional hierarchy of Power Engineers, including seniority and future career progression.
JKEEGA urged the administrative department to expeditiously place the proposal before the Council of Ministers, obtain the requisite extension or approval and thereafter complete the process of regularisation and confirmation at all levels within a time-bound framework.
The Association said it remained committed to pursuing the matter through “democratic, constitutional and institutional means”. However, it warned that if all such avenues were exhausted and the demand for regularisation and confirmation continued to remain unresolved, it would be compelled to resort to democratic means of protest to press for what it described as the legitimate service interests and career progression of Power Engineers.
