The Home ministry is considering the terms of reference, perks and privileges of the three-member group of interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir, set up by the Centre in October to initiate sustained dialogue with all shades of opinion in the State.
This was disclosed by the ministry in an RTI reply dated November 23.
The ministry referred to the Central Information Commission the questions related to dual assignments accepted by former Information Commissioner M M Ansari, who was taken in the group of interlocutors despite holding his position at the transparency panel.
Mr. Ansari continued to be the Central Information Commissioner till his five-year tenure at the panel came to an end on October 28.
“This concerns office of CIC (sic). A copy of application is being forwarded to CPIO, CIC,” the reply said.
The decision to appoint a set of interlocutors was taken at the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on September 25.
The three-member group which was named on October 13 includes eminent journalist Dilip Padgaonkar, academician Radha Kumar and the former Central Information Commissioner.
The group has been entrusted to talk to people from all sections of all the three regions - Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
On the question of statements issued by the group that comprehensive solution on Jammu and Kashmir could not come without involving Pakistan, the ministry replied to activist S C Agrawal, “In this regard the stated policy of the government is that it is committed to discussing all outstanding issues with Pakistan including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, through bilateral dialogue.”
When asked about the brief given by the ministry to the group, it said, “The interlocutors have been appointed to hold a sustained dialogue with all sections of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
