Four Commissions and an Authority of Jammu and Kashmir were created under legislative process promising a number of facilities to the people. These vital bodies are State Information Commission, State Accountability Commission, State Electricity Regulatory Commission, State Human Rights Commission and J&K Water Resources Regulatory Authority. Creating such bodies is not exclusive to our State. Other States, too, have such structures. The real purpose of having these bodies is to let them play constructive as well as supportive role in their respective areas. In a sense this may be called an act of checks and balances. These commissions have observatory, investigative, suggestive and recommendatory roles to play. Each Commission and Authority is provided with the jurisdiction of activity and the parameters of its functionality. However, delivery of these bodies depends on the necessary wherewithal provided to them plus adequate funding kept at their disposal. The sad affair in regard to these bodies is that they are not provided with requisite manpower meaning staff including technical or professional personnel. Just making a loud announcement on the television or publicizing in the print media that such and such a Commission/Authority has been incepted and that these bodies are going to provide such and such a facility makes little sense. On the practical side, the Government adopts irresponsible attitude by not providing basic requirements to these bodies. Some of the Commissions are headless; others have vacant positions of members that make them almost dysfunctional. Take the case of Information Commission. The Chief Information Commission has retired, only one instead of two Information Commissioners is there and he cannot do justice to the job entrusted to him. This affects the performance and delivery will be drastically reduced. The case of J&K State Accountability Commission (SAC) is no less bizarre. In 2011, its wings were clipped through the instrument of amendment of 2011 to the Act by virtue of which the Commission’s powers were curtailed. It has almost been made non-functional. So far no move is made at any level to restore its powers and authority enabling the Commission to function in full force. We have learnt from our sources that there are vested interests in the bureaucratic structure that are not interested in allowing the Accountability Commission to function properly. It is simply paradoxical that on one hand the Government repeatedly says it is committed to eradication of corruption and wants to enforce transparency but on the other hand it is unwilling to restore powers to the Accountability Commission by virtue of which the Commission could make accountability of Government functionaries possible. It betrays contradiction in terms. Imagine how callous the Government is that it ignores such an important body as the J&K Water Resources Regulatory Authority. Has the Government no realization how much important water and water management is in today’s life?
In final analysis, the people of the State want to ask a question. Does the Government want these bodies to be there or not? If it wants them to be there because these have come to life as a result of the decision of the State legislative body, then the Government has to provide the wherewithal that makes them fully functional. But if the Government does not want these bodies to be there, it should come out with a frank confession that it would be liquidating the bodies and not let things remain in limbo. Government must take a decision.
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