Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 28: Jammu & Kashmir RTI Movement (RTIM) today demanded the constitution of Information Commission (IC) in Jammu & Kashmir.
The movement said that the RTI appellants were facing immense difficulties in filing 2nd appeals under RTI Act 2005 before the Central Information Commission (CIC) New Delhi.
On the occasion of Right to Information Day, the activists of the RTI Movement assembled in the City Center Srinagar and held a silent protest.
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Chairman RTI Movement Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat said that after the applicability of Central RTI Act 2005 in J&K, people were feeling disempowered as there is no appeal mechanism available in J&K and people have to file an appeal in New Delhi which is a hectic task especially for illiterate people and disadvantaged communities.
“After extending RTI Act 2005 to J&K, we got deprived of the Information Commission (IC) like many other commissions, as Union Territories are not entitled to have a separate Information Commission. 2nd appeals under RTI Act 2005 are now filed before the Central Information Commission (CIC) New Delhi,” he said.
He said that all the pending appeals in J&K Information Commission (JKIC) have been transferred to CIC New Delhi, but in the last 1 year, not even a single appeal filed by members of RTI Movement members has been listed for hearing.
“Aggrieved would get justice from JKIC within a few months only as the J&K Information commission was supposed to dispose of RTI appeals within 60 to 120 days only,” he said.
Muzaffar said that the 2015 Modi Government launched Digital India campaign intending to ensure the Government’s services are made available to citizens electronically by improving online infrastructure.
“During the last 6 months, people have had less access to Govt offices because of COVID 19 pandemic. This was the best time to receive RTI applications through electronic mode and provide reply through email, but the J&K Government has miserably failed to create an effective digital interface vis a vis Right to Information Act (RTI),” he added.
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