SRINAGAR: A coalition of civil society organisations has welcomed the decision of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to admit and hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking effective implementation of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Services Guarantee Act, 2012.
The joint statement was issued by the JK RTI Movement, Civil Society for Justice and Development, Forest Rights Coalition JK, Gujjar Bakerwal Youth Welfare Conference, and Himalayan Pastoral Foundation. The organisations expressed gratitude to the Court for issuing notice to the administration and taking cognisance of the matter.
The petition concerns the implementation of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Services Guarantee Act (PSGA), enacted in 2012 during the tenure of the Omar Abdullah-led government. The Act mandates time-bound delivery of notified public services and provides for penalties against officials in cases of delay.
According to the statement, the law was conceived as a rights-based framework to shift citizens’ status from applicants dependent on discretion to rights holders entitled to services within prescribed timelines. However, the organisations alleged that implementation gaps have limited its effectiveness over the years.
The JK RTI Movement, led by Shaikh Ghulam Rasool, stated that it had advocated for a time-bound service delivery mechanism before the Act’s enactment and subsequently conducted awareness campaigns across districts to educate citizens about their rights under the legislation. The group said it organised workshops and public interactions to inform people about procedures for applications, appeals and penalty claims.
It further stated that multiple RTI applications were filed across government departments to monitor compliance. The responses, the organisations claimed, indicated inconsistencies in enforcement, inadequate record maintenance, limited imposition of penalties and weak monitoring systems.
After what they described as sustained administrative engagement and representations without substantial systemic reform, the groups approached the High Court seeking judicial intervention. The PIL calls for structured monitoring, enforcement of accountability provisions and strengthened compliance mechanisms under the Act.
Shameem Ahmed Shah, Convenor of Civil Society for Justice and Development, said effective implementation of the law was essential to restore public trust in governance. He stated that delays in service delivery disproportionately affect economically and socially vulnerable populations.
Junaid Andrabi, Convenor of the JK RTI Movement and a Kissan Trade Union leader, said the move to approach the judiciary followed years of advocacy, research and monitoring. He described the petition as an effort aimed at corrective accountability rather than confrontation.
Advocate Naveed Bukhtiyar, Legal Head and General Secretary of the JK RTI Movement, said that without enforcement, rights-based legislation risks becoming ineffective. He added that citizens also bear responsibility to utilise the law for grievance redressal and to strengthen participatory governance.
Umer Ahmad of the Himalayan Pastoral Foundation termed the Court’s decision to admit the matter a progressive step, reinforcing democratic oversight. Mustafa Rahi of the Gujjar Bakerwal Youth Welfare Conference highlighted that nomadic and tribal communities often face significant hurdles in accessing certificates, revenue documents and essential services, making time-bound delivery critical.
The organisations said the effective enforcement of the Public Services Guarantee Act could reduce administrative delays, curb red tape, strengthen accountability and enhance transparency in service delivery.
They expressed hope that the judicial proceedings would lead to improved monitoring systems, strict implementation of penalty provisions and proactive disclosure of service delivery data.
The matter is now scheduled for further hearing before the High Court.
