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| Conflicting interests affecting RTI Act implementation | | Legislature shying away from having re look at provisions.....? | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 5: In order to save RTI from becoming redundant and make it relevant with passage of time, there is need for Legislature in J&K state to review the Act and have a re-look at its provisions. The Commission also needs to act as a referee and harmonize what is being seen as conflicting interests which arise due to public aspirations on one hand and limited resources as also the functioning of various government departments on the other hand that cumulatively affect the smooth implementation of the law. These are two vital observations which emerged at crucial workshop on the subject in Jammu today expressed in unequivocal manner by experts and even officials concerned with the Commission. The moot question remains will the government pay any heed and Legislature of the state understand the urgency of having certain amendments and modifications in the Act which it takes pride in having provided to the people of the state...?
With increasing inquisitiveness of people to utilize RTI as a tool to seek information on important matters and amid growing criticism of government having failed to empower the Commission fully besides other loopholes in the system which has made it sluggish, the observations made at one day seminar cum workshop carry some weight. The need to make certain amendments and changes in the existing provisions of the Act are more important in the backdrop of the fact the organic structure of such legislation which grow with time and fast changing situations in the state. However, what came as disappointment for the activists was the observation by some experts that the disinterest and disinclination of the government at present is in sharp contrast to the enthusiasm and will it showed at the time of bringing this Act for the people of the state, which is the main stumbling block in keeping it apace with other parts of the country. It was observed that it is Legislature which showed keen interest and promptness at the time of bringing in this legislature and now it is seen shying away from what is being urgently felt as a need to give more powers and teeth to the entire system.
The workshop which was organized by state chapter of IIPA saw a huge gathering from a number of PIOs of various departments to stakeholders like RTI activists besides experts from different fields, which speak for the fact that RTI Act and its implementation in the state is of immense interest and importance to people of the state. Handled by veterans like GR Sofi, Chief Information Commission of the state and IIPA chairman Dr Ashok Bhan, the day long session saw many suggestions emerging afresh, all to make the Act and its implementation meaningful and result oriented. A threadbare discussion and listening to the viewpoint of PIOs called for necessity of having the system of queries in such a manner that answers so provided remain ready and reproducible. However, it was implicit in all observations that in order to avoid hiccups faced at present in many ways, the government in a suo moto manner, so to say voluntarily has to provide more and more information related to functioning of the departments in public domain. This will ease the work and PIOs and lessen the burden of piled of questions, an issue which agitates the activists and people in general in the present situation.And more importantly, it was felt that while RTI Act is paramount but it is likely to be in constant conflict with other public interests like the efficiency and functioning of the government itself. The need therefore is to strike a balance between the two and harmonize these conflicting interests. |
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