Jammu Kashmir Activists File RTI Pleas with State Political Parties

Jammu : Taking a stance of the recent order passed by the Central Information Commission to include National political parties under the ambit of RTI Act, the activists of Sangarsh RTI Movement Sd. Balvinder Singh (Convener) and Deepak Sharma today filed RTI application to three main State regional political parties of the state to make them also accountable under state RTI Act. While hailing the decision of the Central Information Commission to bring National political parties under the RTI Act 2005, the activists Sd. Balvinder Singh and Deepak Sharma shared that since the J&K State has its own RTI Aact and Information Commission , so the same order of Central Information Commission is not applicable for regional political parties of the state and the State Information Commission has no powers to act suo motto to declare these regional political parties as public authorities under State RTI Act unless any resident of the state approaches the commission in this regard .

The activists shared that  they have filed RTI application to three main political parties of the state namely National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and J&K National Panthers Party and sought details which includes details of the donators who have given donation to these political parties during last 5 years , details of all the expenses incurred by these political parties for the last 5 years and details of  benefits enjoyed by these regional political parties in terms of office accommodations and income tax exemption .

The activists urged that all the regional political parties to which the RTI applications has been filed, should divulge the asked information under the provisions of the State RTI Act as it will give a clear message to other National political parties that J&K State regional political parties stands together for the promotion of accountability and transparency and shows no compromise in this regard. While appreciating the role of all these regional political parties for their contribution in the promotion of transparency in the state , especially to young and dynamic Chief Minister of the State Sh. Omar Abdullah , who is pioneer in bringing the State RTI Act in to a reality , the activists has hoped that without any prejudice all the regional political parties will welcome this move to bring them under the RTI Act ,as all these regional political parties have always remained in the forefront for the cause of RTI in the state. The activists also urged the regional political parties to suo motto disclose as much as information so that there is minimal resort to filing RTI. 

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Plea filed for bringing J&K parties under ambit of RTI Act 

Jammu: Amid a debate on CIC order bringing major political parties under RTI, activists here have filed a plea before the J&K Information Commission seeking that regional political parties of the state be brought under the ambit of the transparency law. "We hail the decision of the Central Information Commission (CIC) to bring national political parties under the RTI Act 2005," activists 

Balvinder Singh and Deepak Sharma of Sangarsh RTI Movement said today.  The activists said that they have filed a petition for bringing three main political parties of the state National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and J&K National Panthers Party (JKNPP) under the ambit of state RTI Act. They said the order of the CIC is not applicable to regional political parties and the State Information Commission has no powers to suo motu declare these parties as public authorities under State RTI Act unless any resident of the state approaches the state Commission in this regard. 

Left to Right: Ms Mehbooba Mufti(PDP), Bhim Singh(Panthers Party), Omar Abdullah, (NC)

 "We have also sought details from parties which include their donors during the last five years, expenses incurred by these political parties for the period and benefits enjoyed by these regional political parties in terms of office accommodations and income tax exemption," the activists said and expressed the hope that the parties will support efforts to bring transparency in the system. 

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