Srinagar, Apr 6 2025 (Kashmir Frame): More than a year has passed since the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) vowed to take legal action against a group of its own officers accused of “sycophancy, hypocrisy, and backbiting,” yet no case has been filed, exposing a glaring gap between promises and accountability.

In April 2024, the Chief Anti-Encroachment Officer (CAEO) submitted a formal request to the SMC’s legal wing, seeking approval to sue the accused officers for defamation under Sections 499 and 500 of the IPC, which carry penalties of up to two years in jail, a fine, or both. The officer claimed to have gathered “proper evidence, including eyewitness accounts,” alleging that the accused had engaged in “demoralizing and unlawful” behavior to undermine qualified colleagues for personal gain.

Despite marking the letter to 13 senior SMC officials, including the Commissioner and Joint Commissioner, and circulating it among ward officers for “awareness,” the case has seen zero progress. No lawsuit has been filed in the Jammu & Kashmir High Court, and no public explanation has been offered for the delay.