Jammu, Nov 10 (IANS): The Jammu and Kashmir civil secretariat Monday started functioning from here in the winter capital after six months in Srinagar.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was given the traditional guard of honour on his arrival at the secretariat that houses the offices of the chief minister, his ministerial colleagues and all top bureaucrats of the state.

A contingent of Jammu and Kashmir Police presented arms to Omar Abdullah while Director General of Police (DGP) K. Rajendra Kumar escorted him.

Because of the Model Code of Conduct in force in the wake of the state assembly polls, the chief minister's press conference was not organised in the secretariat.

Following more than a century old tradition, the secretariat and all other top offices shuttle on a six-month basis between Jammu and Srinagar.

This practice was called the 'darbar move' (shifting of the royal court) by the erstwhile Dogra Maharajas.

But it costs the state exchequer heavily because of mobilisation of records, materials and housing of officials.

The shuttling also costs nearly one-month of working period because of the closing and opening of the offices in Jammu and Srinagar.