Greater Kashmir: Srinagar: Sunday,
May 22, 2016.
After
enactment of a progressive Right to Information (RTI) legislation people have
for the first time been given a right to make Government officials and other
public authorities accountable. Now ordinary citizens are demanding information
about the functioning of the Government and this information has to be provided
in writing which was not possible before enactment of RTI legislation. We see a
big shift within democracy because the traditional electoral democracy is
getting transformed into participatory democracy. From last several months the
State Information Commission (SIC) is almost defunct as two out of three
commissioners have completed their term in the commission. Pertinent to mention
that Jammu & Kashmir State Information Commission (SIC) which has been
constituted under the provisions of J&K RTI Act 2009, is responsible for
implementation of RTI Act in our state. It is because of intervention of this
commission that Government officials started providing information under state
RTI Act to people and thus became a source of hope for the aggrieved citizens
especially those who belong to disadvantaged communities.
As State
Information Commission (SIC) continues to function with a single Information Commissioner, RTI campaigners,
journalists and civil society groups
across the state have been urging upon Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to
appoint new State Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and one Information
Commissioner (IC) so that Right to Information (RTI) is protected from any
serious causality. The J&K State Information Commission (SIC) as on date is
without a State Chief Information Commission
(CIC) and Information Commissioner (IC) as the posts fell vacant in February
2016 and October 2015 respectively. Mr G R Sufi former Indian Revenue Service
Officer (IRS) who retired as State Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) in
February this year, earlier said that RTI will die its own death if State
Information Commission (SIC) is not constituted as soon as possible. Sufi while
speaking at a seminar organised by J&K RTI Movement at Central University
of Kashmir in March this year said that constitution of SIC was very essential
for ensuring good governance and to protect State’s RTI Act.
CM must constitute SIC:
Former CIC Mr
G R Sufi had earlier revealed that he spoke to Government several times to
appoint a new Information Commissioner
after Dr S K Sharma retired from the post of
Information Commission last year in October. Now Mr G R Sufi has also
retired from the post of State Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) which has
turned State Information Commission (SIC) has almost a defunct institution.
Under the provisions of J&K RTI Act 2009 the Information Commissioners and
Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) can only be appointed by the Governor when
the selection committee consisting of CM, Leader of Opposition, and one cabinet
Minister nominated by CM recommends the suitable candidate. It was not possible
few months back when state was under Governor’s rule, but now we have an
elected Government in J&K and CM
Mehbooba Mufti must take steps to fully constitute the State Information
Commission (SIC). It is a matter on concern that the elected Government could
not shortlist the names of probable Information Commissioners after Dr S K
Sharma retired in October 2015. They had almost 3 months until the death of
Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Syed to appoint new Information Commissioner.
Conclusion
:
I remind
Chief Minister Mehbooba ji of her promises vis a vis ensuring good and
transparent governance. She has always been a supporter of good governance and
during her recent meetings with bureaucrats she stressed on strengthening of
J&K Public Services Guarantee Act (PSGA) which was enacted during the
tenure of Omar Abdullah in 2011. This clearly indicates that pro-people
legislations enacted during National Conference
lead coalition Government are not of least importance for the Chief Minister.
Former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Syed was also great admirer of RTI Act.
His Government passed J&K RTI Act 2004 when no such law existed at national
level. After the enactment of present version of RTI law (J&K RTI Act 2009), Mufti sahib personally told me to
conduct RTI training for his MLAs and on September 9th 2009 , I along with my
fellow activists conducted RTI training for 19 MLAs of PDP along with other
senior leaders of the party most of whom are cabinet Ministers in present
Government. I hope Chief Minister will fulfill her promises with respect to
good governance and answerable Government and that cannot be achieved unless we
have a strong institution of Right to Information (RTI) in place.