Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government Friday opposed a private member`s bill in the Legislative Council seeking to amend the RTI Act, saying it will send a wrong signal.
Congress member Naresh Kumar Gupta, who had introduced the bill, however, withdrew it after Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather said it would not be appropriate to seek any amendment in the new law. "This law is in its infancy and hardly has it been implemented. Only 7,000 people have applied out of a population of 1.2 crore. To amend the law at this stage is not appropriate. We should be a bit patient and wait," Rather said.
Gupta contended that the amendment in the Act was to prevent "blackmailing" of officials and government institutions by "unscrupulous activists".
To this, the minister said, "If we get provoked by some people who misuse the law and amend it, it will send a wrong signal." On his request, Gupta withdrew the bill. The Government also opposed the introduction of another private member`s bill to amend the Panchayati Raj Act to reserve post of sarpanchs for Schedule Castes, Schedule Tribes and women.
Panchayati Raj Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar said the Panchayats have just begun to function in the state and it was premature to judge their effectiveness and amend the Act. The bill was later withdrawn.
PTI