Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 5: The State Chief Information Commissioner G R Sofi has directed the Deputy Secretary Home Department to furnish information sought on PSA cases, killings of civilians by security forces and outcome of the inquiries in these regard since 1988.
The information under RTI Act was sought by one Abdul Manan Bukhari who wanted to know the number of slapping PSA cases since 1988, number of FIRs registered against the Juveniles since 1988, number of complaints/FIR’s lodged against Army, CRPF, BSF, STF/Police and other paramilitary troops for the civilian killings, rapes etc since 1988.
The information seeker also wanted to know what has been done regarding the enquiries conducted against the Army, CISF, CRPF and other paramilitary forces etc in the cases of civilian’s killings.
As the PIO Home Department and the First Appellate Authority rejected the application by stating that the information sought is in the form of questionnaire does not come under the definition of information in the RTI Act. The appellant filed second appeal before the Commission.
Rejecting the plea of Home Department that the RTI application in this regard does not strictly fall under the defination of information as given in section 2 of the State RTI Act, the CIC directed that the available information be disclosed to the appellant by February 13. The information, which is to be collected from other agencies like Police Stations and District Magistrates etc, be disclosed within 30 days, the CIC added.
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