J&K Government Upholds Denial of RTI Request for Reservation Report

Srinagar, Sept 10: The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir's Law Department has upheld a denial of an RTI request seeking information related to the Cabinet sub-committee’s (CSC) report on reservation policies. The First Appellate Authority endorsed the Central Public Information Officer’s decision, citing legal precedence and ongoing deliberations in the CSC.

RTI Grounds Cited for Refusal

The Law Department stated status updates and timelines related to the CSC report cannot be disclosed under Section 8(1)(i) of the RTI Act, as these fall under “Cabinet papers” that are not subject to public disclosure until a final decision is taken. The report's deliberations are still pending, which justifies withholding the information.

Appeal Rejected

The appeal was filed by Sheikh Mohammed Imran, leader of the Peoples Conference. However, the First Appellate Authority found the original CPIO order dated August 5, 2025, to be legally sound. The RTI request's denial was based on recognized judicial and CIC precedents protecting the confidentiality of pre-decision documents.

Legal Implication

The case highlights the ongoing tension between the public's right to information and legitimate confidentiality during policy formation. Until the subcommittee's conclusions are finalized and formally released, authorities are legally permitted to withhold such internal evaluations.

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Source: Daily Excelsior (Read original report)

Labels: RTI Denial, Reservation Report, Cabinet Sub-Committee, J&K Law Department

Tags: #RTI #Reservation #DecisionInDeliberation #TransparencyVsConfidentiality

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