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| JK Reorganization Act 2019 unequivocally speaks about implementing Central RTI Act | | Committee constituted by GAD to examine RTI creates confusion | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 9: The constitution of a committee by General Administration Department (GAD) of Union Territory to take a call on Right to Information (RTI) Act has created confusion among people as the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019 unequivocally mentioned about implementing of Central RTI Act and abolition of erstwhile State's RTI Act.
According to the information, the GAD has constituted a five members committee headed by Administrative Secretary of GAD. The committee has been entrusted to examine whether UT of JK would come under preview of Central Information Commission or a separate Commission to be constituted for the region, while it would also take call on re-designation of public information officers and other functionaries in case UT comes under CIC, the order reads.
But the creation of a new committee has created confusion and it spoke lot about confusion among the government functionaries, in view of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019 published in the official Gazette of India on August 9th, 2019, which unequivocally states that only Central Act would be implemented in JK, an official pleading anonymity said.
In the section, "Central laws made applicable to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir; and UT of Ladakh", at serial number 95, The Right to Information Act, 2005 is mentioned. While in section, State laws including Governor's Acts which are repealed in UT of JK and UT of Ladakh, in the serial number 134, Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act 2009 is mentioned.
"From these two mentions, it is quite clear that Central Act will be implemented in JK with CIC having jurisdiction over it. No separate Information Commissioner is appointed anywhere in other UTs", an official said, adding that such exercise spoke lot about the confusion among the senior government functionaries of UT or something has been cooking behind the curtains regarding the special status of UT once again.
"The RTI Act has become inoperative for the last three months now as the new PIOs have not been designated by the government and now again the government has been buying time, which is totally unfortunate", the official said. |
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