Bandipora, July 31: Allegations of non-disclosure and incomplete furnishing of information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act have surfaced against the District Hospital Bandipora, with an RTI activist claiming that repeated applications, appeals and requests for inspection of records failed to secure the information sought.
According to documents shared by social and RTI activist Tawheed Sheikh, a series of RTI proceedings involving the District Hospital Bandipora has highlighted concerns regarding the timely and complete furnishing of information sought under the transparency law.
The proceedings include four RTI applications bearing numbers CMOBP/R/2026/60010 (April 16, 2026), CMOBP/R/2026/60013 (May 15, 2026), CMOBP/R/2026/60015 (June 5, 2026), and CMOBP/R/2026/60019 (June 28, 2026), along with three first appeals filed before the designated appellate authority.
Sheikh alleged that only a portion of the information sought through his initial application was provided after repeated follow-ups.
He said that subsequent RTI applications were intentionally restricted to specific and narrowly defined queries so that no objection could be raised regarding the volume of records or diversion of departmental resources. Despite limiting the scope of the requests, he alleged that complete information was not furnished.
The activist further claimed that his repeated requests for inspection of records, a right available to applicants under the RTI Act, were not effectively facilitated. He maintained that access to records and information sought through the RTI mechanism remained incomplete despite multiple applications, appeals and follow-ups.
The concerns are not confined to the health department. In a separate RTI proceeding concerning the R&B Division Bandipora, Sheikh alleged that certain information was declined on the ground that the records sought were voluminous, while he was referred to the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and e-procurement portals.
According to him, the information available on those platforms did not fully address the particulars sought under the RTI Act.
Apart from remedies available under the RTI framework, the activist said he also submitted grievances and representations before the competent authorities. However, he claimed that the issues remain unresolved.
Similar complaints have been received from other RTI applicants alleging delays and incomplete responses from public authorities, adding to a broader debate on the effectiveness of the RTI mechanism in the district.
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