Karnah, Dec 19 (JKNS) Tehsil Karnah has been functioning without a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) for more than three months, resulting in severe administrative bottlenecks and widespread inconvenience to the public.
Following the retirement of the last SDM, no replacement has been posted so far, leaving the civil secretariat in Karnah effectively headless and key governance mechanisms paralysed.
Residents allege that a large number of administrative matters have been pending for weeks, including registration, issuance of certificates, official permissions, and grievance redressal. The situation has become particularly grave as the SDM Karnah also functions as the Sub-Registrar.
Consequently, all registration-related work such as sale deeds, mutations, and other statutory registrations has come to a complete standstill, causing serious legal and financial hardships to the local population.
Amid growing public concern, a meeting of the Civil Society Karnah was convened to discuss the prevailing administrative crisis.
The meeting was chaired by Peerzada S.D. Qureshi, Chairman, Civil Society Karnah, and witnessed participation from prominent social activists and local representatives. During the meeting, a memorandum was unanimously passed, strongly highlighting the prolonged vacancy of the SDM post and its adverse impact on public life.
Speaking to news agency JKNS, after the meeting Peerzada S.D. Qureshi expressed deep concern over the administrative vacuum in the tehsil. He stated that the absence of an SDM has severely disrupted governance and essential public services, forcing residents to suffer unnecessarily. He urged the Union Territory administration to immediately intervene and post a full-time SDM in Karnah to restore normal functioning.
Local residents and civil society members have also voiced resentment over what they describe as continued neglect of this border tehsil. They have questioned the silence of the ruling Jammu and Kashmir National Conference-led government, alleging that Karnah is being consistently ignored in administrative postings and planning despite its strategic border location and unique challenges.
The people have appealed to the LG Administration of Jammu and Kashmir to take serious cognizance of the ground situation and ensure the immediate appointment of a competent SDM. They warned that prolonging the administrative vacuum could further aggravate public grievances and weaken trust in governance.
Residents emphasized that equitable administrative attention to all tehsils especially remote and border areas like Karnah is essential for effective governance and public welfare, and demanded swift corrective action to address the issue. (JKNS)
