Srinagar, May 06 (KNS): The Civil secretariat Monday started its functioning in the summer capital Srinagar for the next six months. Governor Satya Paul Malik was given a ceremonial guard of honour by a contingent of the state’s armed police upon his arrival at the secretariat.

Officials informed KNS that, Civil Secretariat and other offices closed in Jammu reopened here on Monday as per the Durbar move, a century-old practice under which the government functions six months each in the two capitals.

Government official told KNS that the police band accorded the guard of honor to Governor on his arrival at the civil secretariat while he was received by his advisors and top police and civil administration officials.

Authorities said that all the necessary arrangements have been made for smooth functioning of the offices in the Srinagar. “All the Jammu-based government employees associated with the Civil Secretariat and other departments have arrived in Srinagar,” one of the government officials told KNS.

On the reopening of offices, he said that work will begin from 9.30 AM to 5 PM at the Civil Secretariat, adding that for other departments located outside the Secretariat, work will begin from 10 AM to 4 PM.

Addressing media after taking guard of honour, the Governor Satya Paul Malik said that the government will call high-level meeting to review safety and security aspects of all political leaders in the State.

“It is painful that the political leaders have been killed, but the withdrawal of security from certain people and the killing of political workers in Kashmir valley cannot be interlinked”.

He said that certain quarters are spreading rumors that the killings take place due to the security withdrawal.

“We saw smooth conduct of Sarpanch elections in the state. So they (militants) now started targeted killings in the Valley,” said the Governor.

The Governor further said that the people who were killed were never “categorised”.

“We will sit within few days time and discuss the withdrawal of security. Also, Chief Secretary will see if security withdrawal played any part in these killings or not,” said Malik.

He said that voting remains the only option with the people of the state. “Ban or guns are not options. Vote is the only solution with the people of the state. All the parties here should try to reach out to the people,” he said.

When asked about the assembly election in the state, Governor said that it is for the election commission to decide when to hold the elections in the state.

Regarding the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the state, the Governor said it was the Election Commission of India that has the authority to decide on when these polls should be held.

Replying to another question on the killing of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Anantnag district on Friday, Malik said security of political workers in the state was being reviewed.

He said an inquiry is also being held on whether there was a security lapse that led to the killing.

Meanwhile police said that surveillance in the areas and localities in the vicinity of the secretariat has been stepped up to check for any suspected elements and traffic diversions have also been enforced on the routes close to the summer capital.

Talking to Kashmir News Service (KNS) DGP said that all the security arrangements have been put in place for the smooth functioning of secretariat. “Security has been stepped up with additional deployment of forces in and around the secretariat. Nobody will be allowed to disrupt the functioning of civil secretariat,” he said.

It is to mention here that civil Secretariat employees on the first day of Darbar move here boycotted the reopening ceremony as a mark of protest against the non-fulfillment of their long pending demands. (KNS)