Srinagar Nov 3: Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), an international NGO based in New Delhi in association with J&K RTI Movement organised a workshop “Right to Information and the Police in J&K.”
 Addressing the gathering, Navaz Kotwal, Project Coordinator of Police Reforms at CHRI, said a strong civil society group was need of the hour to start with intervention on this issue in J&K. “The government has shown some openness with regard to making of new draft Police Act public and it must now start taking civil society and other stake holders into confidence by holding consultations with them before the bill is tabled in the legislature,” Navaz added.
 Venkatesh Nayak an RTI law expert from CHRI, urged upon the civil society to make use of RTI Act for making police more accountable and transparent. He said there were various draconian laws like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) , Disturbed Areas Act (DDA) and J&K Public Safety Act (PSA) in force in J&K, but at the same time people had various rights enshrined under article 21A and 22A of Fundamental Rights and such rights cannot be overruled by AFSPA , DDA or PSA.
 He said even under PSA, the grounds of the detention should be provided to the detained person within five days and if this not provided, we can ask police about the reasons for the same under J&K RTI Act. 
 He said an advisory board had to be constituted under Public Safety Act (PSA) which will be headed by a retired judge and the recommendations of this board would be a binding on the Government.
 J&K RTI Movement convener, Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat stressed upon the J&K Police to adhere to section 4 (1) (b) of J&K RTI Act 2009 under which each public authority which includes police also has to make pro active disclosure of important documents, official working style, funds received and its utilization and many more things.
 Former SSP Javed Riyaz Bedar said due to political instability the normal policing suffered a lot in J&K. He hoped that now a new chapter could be started with regard to police reforms in the state. Syed Ahmad Syed former SSP Srinagar also spoke on the occasion.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 Nov 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 Nov 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 4 Nov 2011 00:00:00 IST