The government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has set-up a high-level committee to examine whether the UT will come under the purview of Central Information Commission or a separate commission has to be established for the new territorial entity.According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), in a significant decision, the government has set-up a committee to examine the issues relating to Right to Information (RTI) in UT of Jammu and Kashmir.Headed by commissioner secretary General Administration Department Farooq Ahmad Lone, the panel would examine whether jurisdiction of Central Information Commission is applicable to J&K or there is a need for creation of a separate panel for the UT.As per its terms of reference, the panel would also propose actions to be taken like re-designation of Public Information Officers and other functionaries under the Act, in case J&K UT comes under the purview of central transparency panel .The panel would also comprise of administrative secretary Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and one each additional secretary rank officer from Finance and General Administration Department.
As per KNO, the committee has been set up as Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act, 2009 was repealed during re-organization of the State by Parliament on August 5.The RTI bill was tabled in both law-making Houses of the erstwhile State on March 7 ,2009 and cleared on March 12. The Act came into force on March 20, 2009 and rules guiding its implementation were notified on June 6, 2009.Ahead of formal bifurcation of the State, the government ordered winding of the State Information Commission which was created under the J&K RTI Act.At the time of its disbanding, former Law Secretary Muhammad Ashraf Mir was functioning as lone information commissioner of SIC.The Commission had become headless in June 2018 after its head Khursheed Ahmad Ganai was appointed as Advisor to Governor.Senior IPS officer and Additional Director General of Police, Security and Law and Order, Munir Ahmad Khan was also appointed as second member of the SIC.However, he did not join and was given special extension of one year to his service in police by the Government of India. (KNO)