Srinagar, Mar 18, KNT: The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in Jammu has ordered the immediate stoppage of salary for senior JKAS officer Shubhra Sharma over her failure to file a reply in a case related to workplace harassment. Sharma, the former Director of Animal Husbandry, Jammu, and currently Managing Director of JKRLM, was heading the Committee Against Sexual Harassment (CASH) at Workplace.
A bench comprising Member (J) Rajinder Singh Dogra and Member (A) Ram Mohan Johri expressed strong displeasure at Sharma’s non-compliance despite repeated directives. The tribunal noted that orders issued on multiple occasions had warned of coercive action if a reply was not filed, yet there was no response from the respondents.
The order was issued in response to a plea by Anu Bala, Assistant Director of Fisheries, who challenged the CASH committee’s findings, arguing that it failed to adhere to legal procedures and Vishakha Guidelines on workplace harassment.
The bench criticized the lackadaisical approach of the senior officer, stating that such disregard erodes public faith in the judiciary and delays justice. It emphasized that “nobody is above the law” and stressed the need to uphold the legal process.
The tribunal has scheduled the next hearing for April 11, 2025, and directed Sharma’s Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) to ensure her salary remains withheld until further orders. [KNT]
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