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| Jmu files more RTI applications, Kashmir far behind | | | Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Mar 20: Residents of Jammu have left behind residents of Kashmir division in the usage of Right to Information (RTI) in the state. This has been revealed in a survey carried out by three students of Department of Law, University of Kashmir.
The findings of the survey point out that 53 percent of Jammu people have knocked at the doors of State Information Commission (SIC) during the past 10 months or so. At the same time 44 percent residents of Kashmir have approached the SIC in order to seek response of their RTI applications.
The survey was carried out from April 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018. During the course of research the researchers analyzed 252 decisions taken by SIC during the period. Out of 252 decisions, 235 are applications with the remaining 17 being complaints.
The survey report was released during a workshop organized by Jammu & Kashmir Right to Information Movement and Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI). First Chief Information Commissioner (Central) Wajahat Habibullah and Prof. M Sidar Acharyulu, Information Commissioner, Central Information Commission of India were present in the workshop.
The survey report said that 93 percent of RTI applicants who approached the SIC were males and seven percent of RTI applicants were females. It said that in two percent cases it was not clear to which division the respondents belonged to.
Among the government departments 34 cases pertained to General Administration Department (GAD), 22 to Health & Medical Education department, 19 to Department of School Education with just one case each pertaining to Finance and Agriculture Production departments.
The survey report said that in 58 percent cases it came out that the respondents approached SIC for public cause with 22 percent of others doing the same for their personal reason. It added that in the rest 20 percent of cases it was not clear since the motive of RTI respondents could not be gauged.
In his speech Wajahat Habibullah said that RTI Act is landmark since it was initiated by government, passed by parliament and adopted by public. He said the information seekers should ask for information within the parameters of the security scenario adding that parameters of security vary from person to person and organization to organization.
"It is important to note that how much information is to be given and how much information is going to be beneficial for the RTI applicant. The suo-motto cognizance is also very important in RTI Act. The information being provided under the Act evolves with every passing day with today's information being irrelevant tomorrow," said Wajahat.
Wajahat said that former President and famous scientist A P J Abdul Kalam told him that RTI Act can be useful only when information is readily available to the people. He said that Kalam was dismayed when the information on the websites of different departments was obsolete and outdated in the initial days of the Act.
In his address Information Commissioner (Central) said that RTI Act should be used in right manner by the people in order to derive information from the government and its departments. He lamented that judiciary has gone on a back foot with regard to delivering judgments regarding RTI Act after 2005 |
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