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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | CIC order: Transparency is important in democracy, says Arvind Kejriwal

CIC order: Transparency is important in democracy, says Arvind Kejriwal

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published Published on Jun 6, 2013   modified Modified on Jun 6, 2013
-The Economic Times


The information commissioner's order asking that stringent disclosure norms prevail on political parties is a welcome move.

Transparency with regard to political parties, especially when it concerns funding, is extremely important in a democracy as this is where political corruption begins. In the past, there have been allegations of quid pro quo between big corporate houses, who fund parties in elections, and policy changes effected to suit them. Some of these corporates in the coal sector, especially, have been regularly accused of funding both the ruling and opposition parties to influence policy. Allegations have also been made in the past of votes in Parliament being influenced by money power. Disclosure norms would put an end to all that.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has put names of all its donors, even those who have donated as little as Rs 1, on the party's website. In fact, we have even lost donations because of our transparency drive. While on my last fast, a visitor was so moved by the agitation against inflated power bills (this was the 12th or 13th day of my fast) that he offered to donate Rs 10 crore to our cause, except that he wanted it to be a secret donation. I replied that this would not be possible, and that we would have to forgo his generous donation in favour of just his moral support to the cause. Some sacrifices are required to firmly commit to a culture of transparency.

Once this culture of transparency is established, we will find that even big corporate houses will find themselves comfortable with having their names disclosed. A start has to be made somewhere.

The second disclosure norm which needs to be tightened is about expenses. We routinely get to see and hear of politicians travelling in personal jets and helicopters. Who owns these aircraft? Why are they being given over for use to political leaders and for what consideration? Such disclosure is important to establish who is sleeping with whom. Use of aircraft, unaccounted election expense which is routinely under-quoted to the Election Commission are an old way of channelling black money and illegally obtained cash.

The criticism that the Right to information is not the right forum for this is also wrong, as the law itself is about transparent flow of information. AAP has shown how it is done, and we welcome the Chief Information Commissioner's order.


The Economic Times, 6 June, 2013, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/comments-analysis/cic-order-transparency-is-important-in-democracy-says-arvind-kejriwal/articleshow/20451668.cms


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