RTI Commission Seeks Explanation from J&K Power Department Over Delayed Replies, Missing Records
Srinagar, Oct 21, KNT: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has sought explanations from officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department (PDD) and Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) over discrepancies in the handling of an RTI application concerning the redesignation of employees appointed under compassionate appointment rules.
In an order, Chief Information Commissioner Raj Kumar Goyal directed the concerned Central Public Information Officers (CPIOs) to submit written explanations regarding the handling of the application, including the apparent delay in responding, inconsistencies in the replies and the absence of the PDD’s CPIO from the Commission’s hearing.
The application, filed by Abdul Hamid Mir and Faizan Aziz on October 18, 2024, sought clarification on whether employees appointed under SRO-43 could seek redesignation from Junior Lineman or Class-IV posts to Orderly. The applicants also questioned the allocation of designations under the applicable recruitment rules.
According to the Commission’s order, the applicants approached the CIC after alleging that they had not received a response to their original application and subsequent first appeal. During the proceedings, KPDCL submitted copies of replies issued in February and March 2025, along with a further response dated March 10, 2026.
The Commission noted that the replies did not clearly establish that they pertained to the original application dated October 18, 2024. It also observed that the PDD had referred the matter to KPDCL without clearly explaining the basis for the transfer or establishing that the prescribed procedure under Section 6(3) of the Right to Information Act had been followed.
The order further recorded that the PDD’s CPIO did not attend the hearing and had not sought prior permission for absence. The representative of KPDCL was also unable to provide a conclusive explanation regarding when the original application had reached the corporation.
The Commission directed the PDD’s CPIO to submit a categorical explanation addressing the discrepancies and the absence from the hearing. The KPDCL CPIO was separately asked to explain why its replies did not identify the date of the original RTI application. Both officials were directed to submit their responses within two weeks of receiving the order.
However, the Commission also observed that the original application sought hypothetical clarifications rather than specific records covered by Section 2(f) of the RTI Act. It therefore held that obstruction of the applicants’ right to information had not been established on that basis and disposed of the appeal while directing the officials to explain the procedural discrepancies. [KNT]
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