Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory recorded a sharp decline in the number of applications filed with different departments under the Right to Information Act-2005 in 2021-22, a report by a transparency panel said on Tuesday.

According to an analysis of the Central Information Commission (CIC) annual report for 2021-22 by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), Jammu and Kashmir administration reported a 31.44% decline in RTI applications received in 2021-22 as compared to 2020-21. “Among the UTs, Jammu and Kashmir reported a 31.44% decline in the number of RTI receipts in 2021-22 (1,099) as compared with the 2020-21 figure (1,603),” the CHRI said in its findings.

The CHRI findings further reveal that although Jammu & Kashmir reported only 94 RTI applications carried over from 2020-21, it was nevertheless a 683.33% increase over the 2019-20 figure (12 RTI applications).

The CHRI further said that JK reported a sharp decline in the proportion of RTIs transferred by PIOs in 2021-22 as compared to 2020-21.

In 2021-22, 4.73% RTI applications were transferred in J&K while it was 38.74% in 2020-21, the CHRI said.

It is pertinent to mention that Central Right to Information Act-2005 became applicable in Jammu & Kashmir UT after the Centre effected constitutional changes in 2019. Before these changes, Jammu & Kashmir had its own RTI law.