FLOUTING PROVISIONS

16/11/2018

Astonishing it may sound but it is a fact that State Information Commission, a transparency watchdog, has failed to provide requisite information about its own functioning to the people besides violating the key provisions of Jammu and Kashmir State Right to Information Act during the past several months.As per the provisions of the transparency law, the State Information Commission has time and again asked the Public Authorities (Government Departments) to regularly update their respective websites in order to ensure suo-moto disclosure of information to the people vis-a-vis their powers and duties, rules, regulations and records held by them. However, when it comes to furnishing such information to the public through its own website, the Information Commission is showing slackness and the adage that it is always dark at the foot of the light house suits the present functioning of the State Information Commission.
Similarly, the Commission has failed to regularly update information vis-a-vis monthly disposal of 2nd Appeals and complaints and the last information available on these aspects pertains to the month of August. What to talk of judgments, 2nd Appeals and complaints even the status of compliance by Public Authorities with Section 4(I)(b) has not been updated since December 31, 2017. The Section 4 of the RTI Act lays down various obligations of the Public Authorities for suo-moto disclosure of information and the steps required to be taken by the Public Authorities in making suo-moto disclosure of information in various forms and manner. Moreover, as per the Commission's website no notification, circular and order has been issued by the transparency and information dissemination watchdog since April 6, 2018. This conveys that either the Commission has stopped corresponding with the Public Authorities or the website has not been updated since long. However, the Information Commission has failed to come up with the annual report during the past three years in blatant violation of the explicit provision of the transparency law. The last annual report was prepared by the SIC for the year 2013-14. Due to this the Commission, which has been entrusted with the task of ensuring implementation of transparency law in letter and spirit by all the Public Authorities, has itself turned out to be the violator.

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