Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Sept 11 : Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that Central Information Commission is fully functional in Jammu & Kashmir. The RTI applications are being both entertained as well as heard, he said.
D. P. Sinha, who is the Senior – most Information Commissioner of India in the Central Information Commission after retirement of Chief Information Commissi-oner Bimal Julka, briefed the Minister about the current status of disposal of RTI applications, particularly in the context of newly created Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
Dr Jitendra Singh complimented the Central Information Commission for having started its functioning in Jammu & Kashmir on 15th May, 2020 in spite of the constraints of COVID pandemic. He said, it goes to the credit of the Commission that entertaining, hearing and disposal of RTIs has been carried on in the Union Territory by virtual means even during the lockdown period.
The Minister was also informed that any citizen of India can now file RTI pertaining to matters related to J&K, a right which was earlier reserved to only Citizens or State Subjects of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir before the Reorganisation Act of 2019.It is pertinent to mention here that consequent to the passing of J&K Reorganisation Act 2019, the J&K Right to Information Act 2009 and the Rules there under were repealed and Right to Information Act 2005 and the Rules there under were enforced from 31.10.2019.
Dr Jitendra Singh emphasised that there is a pressing need to create public awareness about the functioning of the RTI Act. He said, it is the collective responsibility of all us that the Central Information Commission is not overloaded with frivolous or non-essential queries, particularly when most of the information pertaining to the Government of India is now available on websites or in the public domain. This could reduce the load and pendency of RTI applications, he said.
Sinha pointed out that various steps taken to facilitate the CIC hearing during the lockdown and partial lockdown included video conferencing, audio conferencing, facilitation of return submission, uploading of the contact details of Deputy Registrars on the website, issue of notices by e-post wherever required, online registration and scrutiny of fresh cases etc. He also informed the Minister that the Commission had effectively continued its interactive and outreach activities including video conference with civil society representatives and with members of National Federation of Information Commissions in India.
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