Early Times Report
Jammu, June 19: The State Information Commission (SIC) has directed the office of the Deputy Commissioner Jammu to allow inspection of official record by an RTI applicant pertaining to issuance of gun licences from the last five years. Earlier the PIO had not provided information related to this issue and particularly in case of a Govt official who was issued a gun licence by the DC office Jammu.
Details available with Early Times reveal that one Ajaat Jamwal, R/O Dogra Hall, Jammu moved an application dated 03.10.2014 before the PIO, office of the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu under State RTI Act wherein he sought to know that on what basis gun licence has been issued in favour of Sh. Kewal Krishan Sharma, S/O Gian Chand, R/O Vill. Kachrial Tehsil Akhnoor, A/P Patta Borhi, Jammu; his licence No. and date of issue and the copy of Police/CID verification;
The sale letter of gun/pistol/revolver/endorsed on the gun licence; details of land holdings/plots/houses in the name of.Kewal Krishan Sharma, S/O Sh. Gian Chand, his wife Raj Kumari and Son Lalit Kumar in Tehsil Jammu, Tehsil Akhnoor and Tehsil Kotbhalwal.; outcome of inquiry ordered by Deputy Commissioner, Jammu against Kewal Sharma, Forest Guard, APRO to ex Dy.C.M. for misuse of official position, reason why he was not suspended and whether the explanation of SDM Khour, that he does not recognize APRO to ex Dy.CM is tenable.
The APIO/ Tehsildar (Recovery), Jammu transferred the application of the information seeker under section 5(4) and 5(5) of the J&K Right to Information Act, 2009 vide office No.DCJ/PIO/RTI/2014-15/837-43 dated 17.10.2014 to Judicial Section in the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu. The application of the information seeker was also transferred vide above office No. to S.D.M., Akhnoor, SDM North, Jammu, SDM., Khour, and Tehsildar, Jammu. The PIO/Assistant Commissioner, Nazool, Jammu furnished some information to the information seeker which was received from Judicial Section of DC office, Jammu vide letter No.187/DMT/2015 dated 11.04.2015. The appellant feeling aggrieved of the information provided to him which was allegedly incomplete, filed second appeal dated 13.03.2015 before the State Information Commission (SIC) . The appellant alleged inter-allia that most of the information sought by him pertained to First Appellate Authority (FAA) office of the Deputy Commissioner Jammu and his appeal was wrongly forwarded to S.D.M., Akhnoor. The State Information Commission (SIC) after receiving the second appeal listed the matter for hearing and during the course of proceedings held on 16.6.2015, the appellant was furnished detailed report of inquiry ordered by the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu against Kewal Sharma, Forest Guard, APRO to then Deputy Chief Minister, J&K State.
SIC in its order said, " During the course of proceedings at SIC office Jammu on 16.6.3015 the PIO submitted that since the licence Number and date of issue has not been mentioned in the RTI application, hence, it is not possible to provide the information to the information seeker with respect to Para- b,c,d of the RTI application. The appellant requested that he may be allowed to inspect the record/Register wherein gun licences have been issued to the various licensees during the last five years so that he may be able to search the particular information about issuance of gun licence in favour of Sh.Kewal Krishan Sharma. The PIO agreed to allow the facility for inspection of record to the information seeker. In view of the aforesaid facts and submissions made by the parties, the Addl. District Development Commissioner, Jammu is hereby directed to allow the appellant an opportunity to inspect the office record relating to issuance of gun licence in favour of various licencees during the last five years and in case, the appellant requests for certified copies of certain information after inspecting the record, he may be provided the same free of cost". |
