Srinagar, May 16: The High Court today issued one week’s notice on the petition of J&K Bank Limited.
 The case which had been kept on board by the High Court yesterday was today taken up by the Single Bench of Justice Hasnain Massodi.
 After hearing the arguments of the counsel for the petitioner, the court issued notice to the state and also permitted Dasti notice.
 The court also issued notice to Advocate General of the State asking him to assist the court.
 Though counsel for the petitioner insisted on staying the operation of the order of State Information Commission which has declared Jammu and Kashmir Bank as “Public Authority”, Justice Massodi did not “feel persuaded to pass any such order at this stage without hearing the respondents.”
 However, on the insistence of the counsel for the petitioner, the court directed listing of the case next week in the event the service is effected.
 To mention, the State Information Commission on April 24, 2012 ruled that J&K Bank is a “Public Authority” within the meaning of Section 2 (f) of Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act, 2009.
 The Commission, accordingly directed the Bank to designate first appellate authority/authorities, Public Information Officer/Officers and Assistant Public Information Officer/Officers as provided under section 5 of the Act.
 It further directed the Bank to forward complaints of the private respondents to the Public Information Officers concerned to dispose of the applications in accordance with the Act.
 The chairman of the Bank had been directed by the State Information Commission to ensure implementation of provisions of Section 4 of the Act.
 The order was directed to be given effect within one month from the date of its receipt.
 The Bank challenged the order of SIC dated April 24, 2012 before the High Court, Srinagar.
 In its 120 page petition, the Bank has raised at least 15 grounds on which the “decision of the SIC is liable to be set aside.”

Lastupdate on : Wed, 16 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 16 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 IST