Civil secretariat re-opens in Srinagar after six months

Srinagar, May 5 (IANS) The civil secretariat re-opened in Srinagar Monday after its half-year sojourn in Jammu.

All the top government offices of Jammu and Kashmir started functioning here Monday after the six-month recess during which these worked from Jammu.

The offices included those of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, his ministerial colleagues, state chief secretary and senior bureaucrats.

Abdullah was presented a guard of honour by a contingent of the state armed police when he arrived at his office in the civil secretariat Monday morning.

He later visited the various wings of the civil secretariat to inspect the functioning of the offices here.

Since the model code of conduct is in force due to the ongoing Lok Sabha election, the traditional press conference which the chief minister addresses following the re-opening of the civil secretariat in Srinagar was cancelled.

All the top offices of the state shuttle between the twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu, following the over 160-year-old practice set by the Dogra Maharajas of the state who would operate the royal "Darbar" from Jammu during the winter months and from Srinagar in the summers.

Based on this practice, the shuttling of the government offices between Srinagar and Jammu on a six-month basis is known as the "Darbar Move".