IMPA Facilitates Field Visit of HR Students of MIER

IMPA Conducts Field Visit of HR Students of MIER

Jammu, 24/Dec/2019: Jammu and Kashmir Institute of Management, Public Administration  & Rural Development, (JKIMPA-RD) Jammu, today facilitated one day filed visit cum study tour of a batch of 30 students undergoing Human Rights Course at MIER group of Colleges, Jammu. The study tour is conducted by Dr. Sunita Zalpuri Kaul, Prof & Head, Center for Good Governance & Administrative Reforms.

During their visit at IMPA Campus Jammu, the Students along with their Course Coordinator Monika Rathore were given first hand information about the functioning of the IMPA and were also taken to different blocks of the institute including Library, Computer Laboratory, Auditoriums, Administrative Blocks and also provided an opportunity to interact with the  KAS trainee officers undergoing training there.

To make these HR students familiar with other allied civil laws, Dr Sunita Zalpuri Kaul also presided a Special session on Right to Information Act, wherein visiting faculty, RTI practitioner Raman Sharma presented  a detailed power point presentation about important article of  the Constitution of India and different sections of the Right to Information Act. 

 During the session, Dr. Sunita and visiting faculty also replied various queries of the students.  On behalf of MIER group of colleges, Monika Rathore, the course coordinator thanked the Director General IMPA for allowing valuable field visit of the students in the campus of prestigious government training institute like IMPA. 

MHA Denies Information about RTI Act Implementation in UT of Ladakh

MHA Dodges Query about Status of RTI Act in Ladakh

            Jammu, 15/DEC/2019: Instead of providing simple information about implementation of Right to Information Act in Union Territory of Ladakh , Officer in the Union Home Ministry prefers to dodge an RTI query on the subject.

            Beena Yadav, CPIO, Central Public Information Officer and Director(Ladakh) of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Department under  Union Home Ministry while rejecting plea of RTI Activist Raman Sharma on the subject writes(in her rejection order)  “As far as, the undersigned CPIO is concerned, the information may be treated as nil. It is to inform that under RTI Act, 2005, the CPIO is obligated to provide only such information which is available and held by the public authority or is under the control of the public authority. However, the information sought by you might be available with UT of Ladakh” , the CPIO further advised the applicant to approach UT of Ladakh for getting the requisite information in her letter dated 06/Dec/2019.

            Earlier Sharma in his online RTI application dated 03/Dec/2019 to Union Home Ministry had asked for providing certified copies of RTI Rules as framed by government of Union Territory Ladakh as mandated under section 27 read with section 2.a of Right to Information Act 2005 and  a copy of list showing names and designation of all Public Information Officers of Ladakh UT as designated under section 5 of RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT 2005. 

             It is pertinent to mention here that under section 95 and 96 of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019, from appointed day i.e. 31/Oct/2019, the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act 2019 has been repealed as falling under table 3 of fifth schedule of the JK Reorganization Act  2019 and RTI Act 2005(central act) has been applicable to the Union territories of Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh.

            “ Section 27 and 2 of  RTI Act 2005 puts an obligation on every state and union territory government have to make rules for proper implementation of Right to Information Act and it was reason for seeking such information from the union home ministry” said applicant Sharma while reacting over RTI rejection  order of the MHA. He also informed that under section 6(3) of the RTI Act 2005, it was the responsibility of the concerned PIO to transfer the RTI application to UT of Ladakh if the officer was not having such information with her. He also intimated to file a review appeal again the order of the CPIO before the 1^st Appellate Authority.  

           

previous story of the blog :  https://jkrtiact.blogspot.com/2019/12/bsnl-refuses-to-share-information-on.html

Related Story: 

Two Months on , J & K High Court Yet to Frame New RTI Rules

BSNL Refuses to Share Information On Internet Ban In J & K

^{BSNL REFUSES TO SHARE INFORMATION ON INTERNET BAN IN J & K}

Jammu, 08/Dec/2019: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, BSNL, the government owned telecom company have refused to share information about mobile internet ban in Jammu and Kashmir citing exemption clause of Right to Information Act.

While rejecting plea of RTI activist Raman Sharma wherein information was asked from the telecom company on internet ban in the state since 04-Aug-2019.

Earlier In his online RTI application dated 07/Nov/2019 ,  Jammu resident Sharma had asked from BSNL about the name and designation of the authority, officer of the state or union government on whose instructions, directions, order the mobile internet service are presently barred by BSNL in Jammu and Kashmir, in the following query he had asked for certified copy of  any order by the union or state government of Jammu and Kashmir  asking the telecom company to stop mobile internet facility in J & K.

The rejection order signed by DGM(CM) of BSNL, J & K Circle dated 06/12/2019 states that the asked information falls under section 8-1 of the Right to Information Act 2005 and cannot be provided however the Public Information officer has provided a gazette notification issued by the union government dated 07/Aug/2017 which reads that under section 7 of the Indian Telegraph Act 1885, the union government may make rules for temporary suspension of telecom services (Public Emergency or Public Safety).  

However, while giving reaction over the rejection by the CPIO of the BSNL, the applicant Raman expressed displeasure and said the reply is vague and it does not fall under exemption clause of the RTI Act as in his RTI request he had simply asked for name and designation of the authority who ordered ban and copy of order asking for such ban on internet services and he had not asked for reason for internet.  

following story of the blog: https://jkrtiact.blogspot.com/2019/12/mha-denies-information-about-rti-act.html