Government today issued a warrant of precedence to be observed in all ceremonial functions of Jammu and Kashmir, placing Lt. Governor of the Union Territory in equal protocol to Cabinet Secretary. The Chief Ministers of the Union Territories have been placed at 15th number alongwith Cabinet Ministers of States.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government’s Hospitality and Protocol Department has issued a warrant of precedence for the Union Territory of J&K.
The President of India is listed at first place in protocol, followed by the Vice-President of India, Prime Minister and Governors of States within their respective States in fourth position.
In comparison, Lt. Governors within their Union Territories are placed with the Attorney General of India and Cabinet Secretary at 11th position.
The Chief Ministers of the States within their respective states, Union Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, former Prime Ministers and Leaders of
Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha have been placed in the protocol at 7th number.
Even the Chief Ministers of the States – outside their respective states – are placed at 8th position alongwith Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and High Commissioners of Commonwealth countries accredited to India, and Governors of the States outside their respective States.
However, the Cabinet Ministers of the States within their States are equivalent to the Chief Ministers of the Union Territories, Chief Executive Councilor Delhi within their respective Union Territories and Deputy Ministers of the Union (Government) have been placed at protocol i.e 15th number.
Cabinet Ministers of the States outside their respective States, Chairmen and Speakers of the State Legislatures outside their respective States, Chairman, Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practice Commission, Deputy Chairmen, and Deputy Speakers of the State Legislatures within their respective States, Ministers of State in States within their respective states, and ministers of Union Territories have been placed in equal protocol with Executive Councilors Delhi within their respective Union/outside their respective Union Territories/outside.
The Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies in the Union Territories and Chairman of Delhi Metropolitan Council within their respective Union Territories/outside have also been placed in the same protocol at 18th number.
The Chief Commissioners of the Union Territories not having Councils of Ministers within their respective Union Territories, Deputy Ministers in States within their respective States, Deputy Speakers of Legislative Assemblies in Union Territories and Deputy Chairman of Delhi Metropolitan and Council Delhi within their respective Union Territories and Mayors within their respective territorial jurisdiction have also been placed in same protocol.
Meanwhile, MLAs in the Union Territories within their respective Union Territories have been placed in protocol with Army Commanders, Vice-Chief of Army Staff, Chief Secretaries to State Governments and Union Territories within their respective states/UTs, Commissioners for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Secretary Rajya Sabha/Lok Sabha, Vice Chairman of the Central Administrative Tribunal and similar other equivalent positions.
Member Parliaments have been listed at serial number 21, followed by the Deputy Ministers of the States outside their respective states positioned in protocol at 22nd.
Interestingly, outside their respective territories, the Chief Ministers of the Union Territories have been placed at 25th position alongwith Chief Executive Councilor Delhi.
The Director General of Police within respective states/outside the UT, Lt Governor outside the UTs have been placed in same protocol i.e. 25 position like Additional Secretaries of Government of India, Additional Solicitors General, Additional Generals of States, Chairman, Public Service Commission, Chairman Tariff Chairman, Charged Affairs and Acting High Commissioner a pied and ad- interim and other equivalent positions.
Besides, the Principal Secretaries to the Government and Additional Director General of Police have been placed at 25A position, and all administrative secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, and Inspector General of Police (IGP), Joint Secretaries to the Government of India, and Officers of equivalent rank, officers of the rank of Major General or equivalent rank.
The Vice-Chancellors of the Universities in the States and the Union Territories placed in same position at 27th and District Magistrates, Major Head of the Departments, District and Session Judges, Chairman, Block Development Council (BDC)/President of the Municipal Councils and Municipalities and Officers of the rank of Brigadiers and equivalent have been placed at 28th position in equal protocol.