Budgam, Mar 03 (KNS): J&K RTI Foundation has hailed the decision ofMehbooba-led selection panel and Governor for appointing Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, a former bureaucrat, as Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) for the J&K State Information Commission which has been headless since February 29, 2016.
“The Commission had become defunct on November 7 last year when its member Nazir Ahmad completed his 5-year term and, hence, the appointment of Khurshid AhmadGanai as CIC is welcome, even if we are not satisfied with bureaucrat-centric-approach while making selection of Information Commissioners. Khurshid Ahmad has played an important role in drafting J&K RTI Amendment Act of 2008 when he was Commissioner / Secretary to Government General Administration Department (GAD) way back in 2008 and we expect some important initiatives from him so as to enhance the culture of RTI in the state. We are expecting the upcoming CIC to impress upon implementation of Section 4 particularly on the basis of guidelines by Central Information Commission for the PIOs wherein stress is laid upon uploading all information on respective websites of different departments leading to reduction in number of RTI Applications being filed. We further hope that the General Administration Department (GAD) will shortly put the proposal on selection of two other members of commission before the high level committee, so that the Commission becomes fully functional”, said Er. Irfan Banka, Chairman J&K RTI Foundation.
Mohammad Maqbool, Spokesperson J&K RTI Foundation in a statement issued to KNS said, “The government’s decision is a vital move to safeguard transparency in governance in the state. However, it said that the appointment of retired bureaucrats for such posts must be discontinued.He said it further needs to be made certain that retired bureaucrat-centric-approach while appointing commissioners should discontinue, as the Section 12(5) of J&K RTI Act 2009 clearly says that the state chief information commissioner and State information commissioners shall be persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration.”
“Appointing state chief information commissioner and rest of the commissioners alone won’t do till RTI rules 2010 are not restored as the J&K RTI rules’ restoration is a crucial requirement to strengthen the state information commission”, said Coordinator, J&K RTI Foundation Anjan Bilal. (KNS)