Srinagar
Already facing criticism from the aspiring candidates and the civil society for not maintaining transparency in its systems of carrying recruitment and conducting exams for different services including prestigious J & K civil services exams, JKPSC, Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission’s working is once again exposed through an RTI application wherein it has been revealed that the constitutional recruitment body of the state is facing 508 cases in superior courts.
Through an official communication signed by Ghanshyam Singh, Public Information Officer and Additional secretary of the commission in response to an RTI application of RTI activist Raman Sharma, it has been revealed that as on date JKPSC is facing 500 cases against it in the Jammu and Kashmir High court and 8 cases are also pending against it in the supreme court of India.
In the same RTI reply, it’s also been stated that JKPSC has also moved to J & K High Court as petitioner in 15 cases and filed appeals in Supreme court in 2 cases during the last 3 years.
On the question of amount of fess spent by the commission in contesting these cases before the honourable courts, the data supplied by JKPSC discloses that an amount of Rs 3483200 has been paid by it as legal fees during the last 3 years whereas its budget sanction for legal expenses was only Rs 24,25,000. Shockingly during the financial year 2016-17, the legal expenses of the commission were double as compared to its annual budget under relevant head (FY 2016-17) which was Rs. 7.00 lac only whereas the commission spent Rs. 14,70,300 to meet its legal expenses.
Raman Sharma, the applicant while commenting on the RTI revelation urged the Commissioner and members of the J& K Public Service Commission to adopt more transparent and open method in recruitment and examination process so that the aspiring candidates do not need to knock the doors of courts against the JKPSC. He said it is only due to failure of the constitutional recruitment panel that today it is facing so much criticism from the civil society and entangled in legal battles.
Information seeker also informed that similar RTI application seeking same queries is also pending with the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board but they have not yet provided the information despite lapse of the stipulated period of time.
