Brighter
Kashmir: Srinagar: Saturday, September 15, 2018.
he
state information commission (SIC) has not compiled its annual reports for the
past four years. The last report was compiled in 2013.
The
failure of the SIC to compile its annual reports for past four years has been
perceived as a serious lapse by the RTI activists.
According
to them, it (SIC) has defeated the very purpose of its creation by not
publishing the reports. “The RTI ACT was enacted to ensure fairness in
governance and rid corruption.
They
further said that the people had started reposing trust in the commission and
the lapse has only disheartened the people desirous of seeking SIC
intervention.
Quoting
previous figures, they said in 2009-10 when this law was enacted in J&K
only 741 RTI applications were received. “This figure jumped to 3110 in 2010-2011.
In 2011-2012 total RTI applications received in J&K was estimated to be
12136 which was more than double in the coming year / In 2012-13 it was 27619.
In 2013 -14 total RTI applications received by various Govt organisations in
J&K was estimated around 30,000.
As
per section 22 of the Act, the SIC is under a legal obligation to prepare a
report at the end of the year and forward the copy to the government. Sub
section 2 of this section requires all the departments to furnish information
to the SIC for framing the annual report.
Dr
Raja Muzaffar Bhat who chairs the RTI movement in Jammu Kashmir said: “ SIC
reprimands the First Appellate Authorities (FAAs) and Public Information
Officers (PIOs) during case hearings. They are reprimanded for not adhering to
J&K RTI Act provisions. When the commission has itself failed to adhere to
J&K RTI Act 2009 provisions, how can it be expected to enforce the Act
seriously.”
Raja
urged the Commissioner SIC to prepare all the annual reports of last 4 years
without further delay. He offered help to the commissioner for filing the
reports.
All
efforts to contact the SIC Commissioner went in vain.
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