SYED ALI SAFVI
SRINAGAR, Oct 7: Seven years after Central RTI Act was passed in the J&K State Legislative Assembly, the government today finally made the State Information Commission (SIC) full-fledged with the appointment of two State Information Commissioners (SICs) today.
The appointment of Information Commissioners had been delayed for too long by the government, which had, consequently, adversely affected the implementation of RTI Act in the state.
Pertinently, the government had appointed former Chief Income Tax Commissioner, GR Sofi as the first chief information commissioner (CIC) of the state way back in January 28, 2011.
Even as the chief minister, Omar Abdullah, had assured last year that the information commissioners would be appointed before the start of Budget session of the state Assembly in Jammu, the selection process was delayed wing to frequent postponement of selection committee meetings.
State’s principal opposition party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, had, during a recently concluded autumn session of the state assembly, alleged that the state government was delaying the selection of information officer under a “well planned conspiracy”.
The delay in selection was adversely affecting the functioning of the State Information Commission.
“There are hundreds of cases already piled up in the commission office. It was impossible for CIC to go through all the cases,” sources said.
In exercise of the powers conferred upon him under J&K RTI Act 2009, Section 12 (3), Governor, NN Vohra, today appointed former Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Jammu (JU), Dr Sudesh Kumar Sharma and Chief Engineer, R&B, Nazir Ahmed as State Information Commissioners on the recommendation of the Selection Committee set up for the purpose.
“The state government has not only been late in appointing the information commissioners, but the government had also dilly-dallied on the appointment of chief information commissioner,” said a senior political leader.
He said that only constituting commissions are of lesser importance unless these commissions are given more teeth.
“Let’s not turn the commissions into rehabilitation centres for blue-eyed retired babus,” he said.
J&K RTI Movement, which has been spearheading campaign on enforcement of RTI Act in the state, has welcomed the decision.
Convener RTI Movement, Dr Raja Muzaffar, expressed hope that the commission would take up “cases of serious importance” which are lying in the office for more than six months.
“Since the commission has been fully strengthened with appointments of state information commissioners, we are sure that the importance cases already lying with the commission are given priority,” he told Kashmir Times.
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