SRINAGAR, Sep 10: The Jammu & Kashmir government has dismissed an appeal challenging the denial of information regarding the cabinet sub-committee’s report on reservation, officials said.
The First Appellate Authority (FAA) of the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs upheld the order of the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), referencing Supreme Court and High Court judgments, as well as decisions by the Central Information Commission.
The appeal was filed by Sheikh Mohammed Imran, a Peoples Conference leader, who had contested the CPIO’s refusal to provide the requested information. On August 5, 2024, the CPIO had denied the request citing various provisions of the RTI Act.
“The disposal of the RTI application by the CPIO vide order dated 05.08.2025 is well-founded and well-reasoned and is in consonance with the provisions of the RTI Act, and as such the appeal is dismissed and the said order of the CPIO is upheld,” the FAA order stated.
The FAA clarified that the RTI Act permits disclosure of cabinet decisions only after a final decision has been made. Since the Cabinet Sub-Committee’s deliberations are still ongoing, the requested information regarding status updates and timelines falls under “cabinet papers” and is part of the deliberative process.
The order further stated that the term “Under examination” indicates that the report is in the process of vetting, and revealing specifics could expose timelines and risk interference. “No contradiction or misleading exists; the response protects statutory confidentiality,” the FAA noted.