Civil Secretariat reopens in Srinagar

Darbar Move, the shifting of the administrative machinery from Jammu to Srinagar in the spring, has a history of 144 years

The Civil Secretariat started functioning from the summer capital of Srinagar on Monday, as part of a nearly 150-year-old biannual practice known as the Darbar Move.

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Darbar Move, the shifting of the administrative machinery from Jammu to Srinagar in the spring, has a history of 144 years. Due to the Covid-19, employees from Jammu region will be working from their homes, while only a limited number of employees in Kashmir will be attending office in Srinagar.

Lt Governor Girish Chander Murmu inspected the ceremonial guard of honour at the civil secretariat lawns as offices opened here after closing in Jammu in the last week of April. “He also interacted with the officers and sought their suggestions for further improving the public delivery mechanism, besides advising them to continue working with dedication for the welfare of the public,” a spokesperson said.

The L-G also reiterated the government’s resolve of working tirelessly towards ensuring a responsive and accountable government and good governance at all levels. The annual “Darbar Move” was started by the erstwhile Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Ranbir Singh, in 1872. However, 33 years ago, when former chief minister Farooq Abdullah tried to end the annual shifting, protests by a cross-section of society in Jammu forced him to change his mind.