Jammu and kashmir State Information Commission

The State Information Commission constituted under J&K RTI Act 2009 is a vital component of the regime of Right to Information set out for the 6 people of the State under the Act. The Commission has been vested with powers under the Act to oversee the implementation of the Act in its letter and spirit. On the one hand it has a supervisory role in respect of receiving and enquiring into complaints under sec.15 of the Act and on the other it has wider powers as an appellate authority in terms of section 16 of the Act for adjudication of second appeals filed before it by the aggrieved RTI applicants. Harmonizing the conflicting interests of demand and supply of certain information is an important factor as enunciated in the preamble of the Act which also underlines a significant role for the Commission. Ordinarily, providing of information is the rule and non-disclosure is only the exception. Therefore the openness in sharing information is getting precedence over the mindset of secrecy and confidentiality which sofar permeated the working of public authorities.