J&K RTI Foundation welcomes appointment of new Information Commissioner

J&K RTI Foundation welcomes appointment of new Information Commissioner

OBSERVER NEWS SERVICE• OCT 17, 2017 

“We hope that Mohammad Ashraf Mir will assume charge of the post soon and the remaining vacancy of the J&K SIC will be also filled up.”

Srinagar—J&K RTI Foundation has hailed the decision of Governor, N.N.Vohra, for appointing State Information Commissioner in the State Information Commission on 11th of October 2017 vide SRO 427.

“We are much satisfied with the activities and the overall role of current Chief Information Commissioner, Khurshid Ahmad Ganie who has given new birth to RTI Act in the state and has been conducting Round Tables on RTI in different parts of the state with FAAs, PIOs, Activists and other stakeholders of RTI; and hope that the new Information Commissioner will also work for the effective implementation and propagation of RTI in the state,” Said Er. Irfan Banka, Chairman J&K RTI Foundation

“Time and again we have been criticizing the bureaucrat-centric-approach in making selections which of course delays the process of selection. 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 and governance’ and to implement this Section in spirit, it is recommended that the people who have worked in Government should be restricted to 50% (if not less) as recommended in the ARC report”, said Irfan Banka,

The foundation also welcomed the appointment of Former Commissioner Secretary Revenue Department, Mohammad Ashraf Mir as State Information Commissioner.

“We hope that Mohammad Ashraf Mir will assume charge of the post soon and the remaining vacancy of the J&K SIC will be also filled up”, said Sheikh Maqbool, Spokesperson of the J&K RTI Foundation.

“It is clear from the decisions, notification and the circulars of the J&K State Information Commission that Hon’ble Chief Information Commissioner, Khursheed Ahmad Ganaie, has reinitiated who process of RTI implementation in the state, since March 3rd 2017, when he took charge as CIC in J&K SIC; and we expect the same zeal and enthusiasm on part of the new State Information Commissioner as well”, said Coordinator, J&K RTI Foundation Anjan Bilal.