Authorities provide blank papers as RTI reply’.

Greater Kashmir: Srinagar: Monday, June 6, 2016. 

Authorities in Housing and Urban Development Department have made fun of Right to Information Act after allegedly providing blank papers to information seeker against the details sought.

Ghulam Muhammad Dar of Zaberwan Colony Hyderpora had sought certain information about a scam from the department.

The authorities didn’t provide the information to the information seeker first, saying the department has lost his RTI application.

“Later, the authorities sent me the written information wherein it stated that I have not enclosed required fee with the application,” Dar told Greater Kashmir.

He added that he approached the concerned officials in the department. “I apprised them that I had enclosed Indian Postal Order (IPO) with the application. I also provided them another IPO. However, they refused to accept it, telling that I have to file fresh application with required fee,” he said.

Dar again submitted RTI application. After waiting for some days, he approached department to know the status of his application.

“The authorities refused to hand over information to me and said that they would prefer to send it by post,” he said. “After few days, I received an envelope by post which contained blank papers. This envelope was sent by the department as a reply sought by me under RTI Act,” he alleged.

He added that he approached authorities apprising them about the matter. “However, the authorities said that they had sent information and also refused to share any other copy of the information with me,” he alleged.

Dar said that he had sought information regarding to the alleged scam which authorities don’t want to get into public domain or before government.

“It is quite strange as to how some authorities post blank papers to information seeker’s address. It frustrates the very object of this transparent law,” said a group of RTI activists.

Dr Raja Muzafar Bhat, an RTI activist and founder of J&K RTI Movement, said that there are hundreds of such cases. “We have number of cases where authorities have denied information to information seekers under this tactic,” he added.