An IAS officer of 1978 batch, Khandey was made the chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir on February 18, 2013 during the National Conference-Congress government led by Omar Abdullah. He was scheduled to retire in November this year.
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed PDP-BJP government has suffered a major embarrassment after its top most bureaucrat and chief secretary Muhammad Iqbal Khandey decided to step down following differences with the the ruling establishment.
An IAS officer of 1978 batch, Khandey was made the chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir on February 18, 2013 during the National Conference-Congress government led by Omar Abdullah. He was scheduled to retire in November this year.
Khandey was apparently not happy the way the ministers were taking decisions and tossing the officers at will. Sources said even the junior officers were promoted and superseded without any logic.
"Some officers were transferred even before they could settle down in their respective postings. No procedure was followed and no logic was given for transfers of officers intermittently. Even the chief secretary was not being taken into loop", said an insider.
Khandey was also not apparently happy with some of the decisions regarding the financial matters. Sources said he was not consulted on these matters which was also the reason that he decided to step down.
"Some of the ministers were not gelling with him well. He is a tough task master who always goes by the book. He believes in transparency and will not succumb to any pressure. Therefore he decided to step down", said a senior bureaucrat.
Khandey, who was acquitted in the infamous Srinagar sex scandal by the CBI court in Chandigarh, has been Mufti's principal secretary in his first stint as J&K chief minister from 2002-05.
Khandey's daughter Sehar Iqbal unsuccessfully contested 2008 Assembly election on Mehbooba Mufti led People Democratic Party (PDP) ticket from Kokernag. She however lost to the Congress leader Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Top most babu decides to step down over differences with Mufti government")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}