PDP Chief Alleges 25,000 ‘Backdoor Appointments’; No Formal Complaint Filed, Questions Raised Over Lack of Investigation

||Black and White Digital News ||

||Parvinder Singh June 26 ,2026||

Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday alleged that the National Conference (NC)-led government had made nearly 25,000 “Backdoor Appointments” in the Union Territory over the past 25 months, and demanded an investigation into the alleged recruitment process.

Addressing reporters, Mufti claimed that appointments were made across various government departments without following a transparent recruitment process. She alleged that no interviews were conducted for the posts and said she was in possession of appointment orders but would not disclose the identities of the beneficiaries for their protection.

According to the PDP chief, the appointments were allegedly routed through nearly 200 private outsourcing agencies. She further claimed that candidates were made to submit applications through a website that remained operational only for a limited period before being closed.

Mufti also alleged that certain persons working as Public Relations Officers (PROs), close aides, secretaries, and individuals associated with ministers and legislators facilitated the recruitment process by forwarding lists of candidates to outsourcing agencies. She named some individuals, including “Ramzan Sahib” and “Ayush Sahib,” while refraining from revealing their official designations. She further alleged that money ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh was collected from candidates for the appointments.

The former Chief Minister demanded that the alleged “backdoor appointments” be stopped immediately and sought action if any wrongdoing is established. She also claimed that the BJP had remained silent on the issue despite the seriousness of the allegations.

However, despite making these allegations publicly, no formal complaint or documentary evidence has been submitted by the PDP to any investigating agency, including the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Crime Branch, or other competent authorities for a probe into the matter.

Reacting to the development, a member of the civil society questioned the absence of a formal complaint despite the serious nature of the allegations.

“Political parties often level allegations against each other on social media and in press conferences to maintain their political visibility. However, if there is credible evidence of corruption or illegal appointments, it should be formally placed before the investigating agencies. To date, no complaint has been lodged seeking an official investigation,” the civil society member said.

The civil society representative also questioned the silence of the investigating agencies, stating that the allegations involve individuals holding public positions, including PROs and close aides of ministers, and warrant either a thorough inquiry or appropriate legal action if the allegations are found to be baseless.

The National Conference government has not yet issued an official response to the allegations.

Separately, Mufti also spoke on the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley, stating that while their return was a positive development, certain groups were attempting to “weaponise” their suffering to pursue their own agenda. She urged the community to look towards the future while acknowledging the pain suffered by all communities during the conflict in Jammu and Kashmir.

Thakur Abhijeet Jasrotia