Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
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 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
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deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::index() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 150
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Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
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Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
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 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
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deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::index() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 151
Cake\Controller\Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 610
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php, line 162
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php, line 97
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Code Context
            if (Configure::read('debug')) {

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        LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Is the RTI law in danger of losing its might? -Poulomi Banerjee    </title>
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-Hindustan Times

The RTI Act of 2005 made the government more accountable. But a new set of proposed rules may weaken the law and make it difficult and risky for people to access information 

In 2015, activist Lokesh Batra filed a..."/>
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-Hindustan Times

The RTI Act of 2005 made the government more accountable. But a new set of proposed rules may weaken the law and make it difficult and risky for people to access information 

In 2015, activist Lokesh Batra filed a..." />
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                            <div align="justify">-Hindustan Times<br /><br /><em>The RTI Act of 2005 made the government more accountable. But a new set of proposed rules may weaken the law and make it difficult and risky for people to access information <br /></em><br />In 2015, activist Lokesh Batra filed a Right To Information (RTI) application with the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) seeking details about the appointment of the next Chief Information Commissioner (CIC). But the DoPT refused to share the information, saying that the process of appointment was still on and the information was part of &ldquo;cabinet papers,&rdquo; which are exempted from disclosure.&ldquo;I had in the past too filed RTIs seeking information on the appointment of the CIC and had never been refused before,&rdquo; says Batra. The information was finally given to Batra after he put in an appeal.<br /><br />Batra&rsquo;s RTI had followed protests and a public interest litigation (PIL) by activists in 2014-15 after the post of Chief Information Commissioner was kept vacant for a long time. &ldquo;The fact that a government allows the Information Commission to go headless for so long is itself an indication that the government is not very serious about making sure that people are able to access their right to information,&rdquo; says activist Anjali Bhardwaj.<br /><br />The RTI Act was passed in 2005 and has in the past helped uncover some big scams, such as the Adarsh Housing Scam in Mumbai &ndash; where houses meant for war widows and veterans were given to politicians and bureaucrats &ndash; irregularities in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2G scam. It has also been used extensively by people as a means to access their basic rights and entitlements. &ldquo;About six to eight million RTI applications are filed in the country every year,&rdquo; says activist Nikhil Dey.<br /><br />Bhardwaj agrees. &ldquo;Our research has shown that the poorest and the most marginalised are the primary users of the RTI,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;There is very poor grievance redress mechanism in our country. If someone complains that he or she is not getting ration, pension, or any other basic right and entitlement, nothing happens. In such a situation people have found it useful to file an RTI application.&rdquo;<br /><br /><em>A Worrying Change<br /></em><br />But earlier this year the government proposed some changes to the RTI rules, which have caused concern to activists. Once passed, the RTI Rules 2017 will replace the RTI Rules 2012. The proposed rules were put out on the DoPT website for comments from the public.<br /><br />There are two particularly worrying changes. The first is the provision that proceedings pending before the commission shall abate on the death of the appellant. The second is that the commission may allow an appellant to withdraw an appeal if the matter has not been finally heard or a decision or order not been pronounced by the commission.<br /><br />Activists feel both these rules make RTI users vulnerable to threats and attacks. &ldquo;We are using the RTI because there are things we would want to expose. The minute you say you can withdraw, the guy who is affected will be at your throat,&rdquo; says Dey. Dey himself was threatened by the sarpanch of a village, when he and a few others had gone to him to seek information regarding irregularities in development work. The incident took place in 1998, even before the RTI Act had been passed. The sarpanch and his family members not only roughed up and threatened Dey and his companions, but also lodged a false case against them, accusing them of assault. Ironically, a Munsif Magistrate last month sentenced Dey and his four co-accused to four months in prison in the 19-year-old case. The five have appealed against the conviction. But as activist Aruna Roy says, &ldquo;The conviction sends out a warning to other information seekers on what can if you ask questions.&rdquo;<br /><br /><em>Activists Under Attack<br /></em><br />Attacks on RTI users are not rare. In 2015 Guru Prasad Shukla of UP was beaten to death by fellow villagers. He had sought information on development work in his village. Earlier this year activist Suhas Haldankar, who had exposed civic irregularities in Pune, was murdered.<br /><br />&ldquo;At least 65 people have lost their lives for seeking information and exposing corruption since RTI came into force. Many have been attacked,&rdquo; says Dey.<br /><br />In Odisha, two RTI activists have been murdered and 50 been subjected to brutal attacks, says Pradip Pradhan, state convener of Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan. Rolly Shivhare, an activist in Madhya Pradesh, says access to information has become more difficult in the state in the last two-three years.<br /><br />In Delhi, Prakasho, a resident of Jagdamba Camp, filed an RTI application in February this year, after she stopped receiving her widow pension from the women and child development department in October last year. When she received no reply, she filed a first appeal in April. There&rsquo;s been no hearing yet, but after the first appeal was filed, a member of the Satark Nagarik Sangathan (SNS) says, officials of the department came to her house and told her that she should not file RTIs and should just come to the department. They also allegedly videographed the interaction to intimidate her.<br /><br />Bhardwaj believes that the only way to ensure some safety to applicants is to make the information public in case there is an attack on an applicant or he/she dies. Activist Aruna Roy feels that this needs to be done also because &ldquo;the intent of the law is that the information being sought is, in any case, public information&rdquo;.<br /><br />Not just activists, even current serving members of the Central Information Commission are against these proposed rules. M Sridhar Acharyulu, a central information commissioner, in his suggestion to the DoPT on the proposed rules, has said, &ldquo;If an applicant is killed by a mafia about whom the information was sought, why should it not be disclosed? Will law allow the killing of the applicant, the appeal and the RTI?&rdquo; He is also of the opinion that the CIC should have been consulted before framing the draft rules.<br /><br />Please <a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/is-the-rti-law-in-danger-of-losing-its-might/story-6HhIHRG3lmuIg9ZagiU6aJ.html" title="http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/is-the-rti-law-in-danger-of-losing-its-might/story-6HhIHRG3lmuIg9ZagiU6aJ.html">click here</a> to read more. </div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div>                                                           
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    <h1 class="cat-box-title">Is the RTI law in danger of losing its might? -Poulomi Banerjee</h1>
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                            <div align="justify">-Hindustan Times<br /><br /><em>The RTI Act of 2005 made the government more accountable. But a new set of proposed rules may weaken the law and make it difficult and risky for people to access information <br /></em><br />In 2015, activist Lokesh Batra filed a Right To Information (RTI) application with the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) seeking details about the appointment of the next Chief Information Commissioner (CIC). But the DoPT refused to share the information, saying that the process of appointment was still on and the information was part of &ldquo;cabinet papers,&rdquo; which are exempted from disclosure.&ldquo;I had in the past too filed RTIs seeking information on the appointment of the CIC and had never been refused before,&rdquo; says Batra. The information was finally given to Batra after he put in an appeal.<br /><br />Batra&rsquo;s RTI had followed protests and a public interest litigation (PIL) by activists in 2014-15 after the post of Chief Information Commissioner was kept vacant for a long time. &ldquo;The fact that a government allows the Information Commission to go headless for so long is itself an indication that the government is not very serious about making sure that people are able to access their right to information,&rdquo; says activist Anjali Bhardwaj.<br /><br />The RTI Act was passed in 2005 and has in the past helped uncover some big scams, such as the Adarsh Housing Scam in Mumbai &ndash; where houses meant for war widows and veterans were given to politicians and bureaucrats &ndash; irregularities in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2G scam. It has also been used extensively by people as a means to access their basic rights and entitlements. &ldquo;About six to eight million RTI applications are filed in the country every year,&rdquo; says activist Nikhil Dey.<br /><br />Bhardwaj agrees. &ldquo;Our research has shown that the poorest and the most marginalised are the primary users of the RTI,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;There is very poor grievance redress mechanism in our country. If someone complains that he or she is not getting ration, pension, or any other basic right and entitlement, nothing happens. In such a situation people have found it useful to file an RTI application.&rdquo;<br /><br /><em>A Worrying Change<br /></em><br />But earlier this year the government proposed some changes to the RTI rules, which have caused concern to activists. Once passed, the RTI Rules 2017 will replace the RTI Rules 2012. The proposed rules were put out on the DoPT website for comments from the public.<br /><br />There are two particularly worrying changes. The first is the provision that proceedings pending before the commission shall abate on the death of the appellant. The second is that the commission may allow an appellant to withdraw an appeal if the matter has not been finally heard or a decision or order not been pronounced by the commission.<br /><br />Activists feel both these rules make RTI users vulnerable to threats and attacks. &ldquo;We are using the RTI because there are things we would want to expose. The minute you say you can withdraw, the guy who is affected will be at your throat,&rdquo; says Dey. Dey himself was threatened by the sarpanch of a village, when he and a few others had gone to him to seek information regarding irregularities in development work. The incident took place in 1998, even before the RTI Act had been passed. The sarpanch and his family members not only roughed up and threatened Dey and his companions, but also lodged a false case against them, accusing them of assault. Ironically, a Munsif Magistrate last month sentenced Dey and his four co-accused to four months in prison in the 19-year-old case. The five have appealed against the conviction. But as activist Aruna Roy says, &ldquo;The conviction sends out a warning to other information seekers on what can if you ask questions.&rdquo;<br /><br /><em>Activists Under Attack<br /></em><br />Attacks on RTI users are not rare. In 2015 Guru Prasad Shukla of UP was beaten to death by fellow villagers. He had sought information on development work in his village. Earlier this year activist Suhas Haldankar, who had exposed civic irregularities in Pune, was murdered.<br /><br />&ldquo;At least 65 people have lost their lives for seeking information and exposing corruption since RTI came into force. Many have been attacked,&rdquo; says Dey.<br /><br />In Odisha, two RTI activists have been murdered and 50 been subjected to brutal attacks, says Pradip Pradhan, state convener of Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan. Rolly Shivhare, an activist in Madhya Pradesh, says access to information has become more difficult in the state in the last two-three years.<br /><br />In Delhi, Prakasho, a resident of Jagdamba Camp, filed an RTI application in February this year, after she stopped receiving her widow pension from the women and child development department in October last year. When she received no reply, she filed a first appeal in April. There&rsquo;s been no hearing yet, but after the first appeal was filed, a member of the Satark Nagarik Sangathan (SNS) says, officials of the department came to her house and told her that she should not file RTIs and should just come to the department. They also allegedly videographed the interaction to intimidate her.<br /><br />Bhardwaj believes that the only way to ensure some safety to applicants is to make the information public in case there is an attack on an applicant or he/she dies. Activist Aruna Roy feels that this needs to be done also because &ldquo;the intent of the law is that the information being sought is, in any case, public information&rdquo;.<br /><br />Not just activists, even current serving members of the Central Information Commission are against these proposed rules. M Sridhar Acharyulu, a central information commissioner, in his suggestion to the DoPT on the proposed rules, has said, &ldquo;If an applicant is killed by a mafia about whom the information was sought, why should it not be disclosed? Will law allow the killing of the applicant, the appeal and the RTI?&rdquo; He is also of the opinion that the CIC should have been consulted before framing the draft rules.<br /><br />Please <a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/is-the-rti-law-in-danger-of-losing-its-might/story-6HhIHRG3lmuIg9ZagiU6aJ.html" title="http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/is-the-rti-law-in-danger-of-losing-its-might/story-6HhIHRG3lmuIg9ZagiU6aJ.html">click here</a> to read more. </div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div>                                                           
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    <h1 class="cat-box-title">Is the RTI law in danger of losing its might? -Poulomi Banerjee</h1>
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                            <div align="justify">-Hindustan Times<br /><br /><em>The RTI Act of 2005 made the government more accountable. But a new set of proposed rules may weaken the law and make it difficult and risky for people to access information <br /></em><br />In 2015, activist Lokesh Batra filed a Right To Information (RTI) application with the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) seeking details about the appointment of the next Chief Information Commissioner (CIC). But the DoPT refused to share the information, saying that the process of appointment was still on and the information was part of &ldquo;cabinet papers,&rdquo; which are exempted from disclosure.&ldquo;I had in the past too filed RTIs seeking information on the appointment of the CIC and had never been refused before,&rdquo; says Batra. The information was finally given to Batra after he put in an appeal.<br /><br />Batra&rsquo;s RTI had followed protests and a public interest litigation (PIL) by activists in 2014-15 after the post of Chief Information Commissioner was kept vacant for a long time. &ldquo;The fact that a government allows the Information Commission to go headless for so long is itself an indication that the government is not very serious about making sure that people are able to access their right to information,&rdquo; says activist Anjali Bhardwaj.<br /><br />The RTI Act was passed in 2005 and has in the past helped uncover some big scams, such as the Adarsh Housing Scam in Mumbai &ndash; where houses meant for war widows and veterans were given to politicians and bureaucrats &ndash; irregularities in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2G scam. It has also been used extensively by people as a means to access their basic rights and entitlements. &ldquo;About six to eight million RTI applications are filed in the country every year,&rdquo; says activist Nikhil Dey.<br /><br />Bhardwaj agrees. &ldquo;Our research has shown that the poorest and the most marginalised are the primary users of the RTI,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;There is very poor grievance redress mechanism in our country. If someone complains that he or she is not getting ration, pension, or any other basic right and entitlement, nothing happens. In such a situation people have found it useful to file an RTI application.&rdquo;<br /><br /><em>A Worrying Change<br /></em><br />But earlier this year the government proposed some changes to the RTI rules, which have caused concern to activists. Once passed, the RTI Rules 2017 will replace the RTI Rules 2012. The proposed rules were put out on the DoPT website for comments from the public.<br /><br />There are two particularly worrying changes. The first is the provision that proceedings pending before the commission shall abate on the death of the appellant. The second is that the commission may allow an appellant to withdraw an appeal if the matter has not been finally heard or a decision or order not been pronounced by the commission.<br /><br />Activists feel both these rules make RTI users vulnerable to threats and attacks. &ldquo;We are using the RTI because there are things we would want to expose. The minute you say you can withdraw, the guy who is affected will be at your throat,&rdquo; says Dey. Dey himself was threatened by the sarpanch of a village, when he and a few others had gone to him to seek information regarding irregularities in development work. The incident took place in 1998, even before the RTI Act had been passed. The sarpanch and his family members not only roughed up and threatened Dey and his companions, but also lodged a false case against them, accusing them of assault. Ironically, a Munsif Magistrate last month sentenced Dey and his four co-accused to four months in prison in the 19-year-old case. The five have appealed against the conviction. But as activist Aruna Roy says, &ldquo;The conviction sends out a warning to other information seekers on what can if you ask questions.&rdquo;<br /><br /><em>Activists Under Attack<br /></em><br />Attacks on RTI users are not rare. In 2015 Guru Prasad Shukla of UP was beaten to death by fellow villagers. He had sought information on development work in his village. Earlier this year activist Suhas Haldankar, who had exposed civic irregularities in Pune, was murdered.<br /><br />&ldquo;At least 65 people have lost their lives for seeking information and exposing corruption since RTI came into force. Many have been attacked,&rdquo; says Dey.<br /><br />In Odisha, two RTI activists have been murdered and 50 been subjected to brutal attacks, says Pradip Pradhan, state convener of Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan. Rolly Shivhare, an activist in Madhya Pradesh, says access to information has become more difficult in the state in the last two-three years.<br /><br />In Delhi, Prakasho, a resident of Jagdamba Camp, filed an RTI application in February this year, after she stopped receiving her widow pension from the women and child development department in October last year. When she received no reply, she filed a first appeal in April. There&rsquo;s been no hearing yet, but after the first appeal was filed, a member of the Satark Nagarik Sangathan (SNS) says, officials of the department came to her house and told her that she should not file RTIs and should just come to the department. They also allegedly videographed the interaction to intimidate her.<br /><br />Bhardwaj believes that the only way to ensure some safety to applicants is to make the information public in case there is an attack on an applicant or he/she dies. Activist Aruna Roy feels that this needs to be done also because &ldquo;the intent of the law is that the information being sought is, in any case, public information&rdquo;.<br /><br />Not just activists, even current serving members of the Central Information Commission are against these proposed rules. M Sridhar Acharyulu, a central information commissioner, in his suggestion to the DoPT on the proposed rules, has said, &ldquo;If an applicant is killed by a mafia about whom the information was sought, why should it not be disclosed? Will law allow the killing of the applicant, the appeal and the RTI?&rdquo; He is also of the opinion that the CIC should have been consulted before framing the draft rules.<br /><br />Please <a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/is-the-rti-law-in-danger-of-losing-its-might/story-6HhIHRG3lmuIg9ZagiU6aJ.html" title="http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/is-the-rti-law-in-danger-of-losing-its-might/story-6HhIHRG3lmuIg9ZagiU6aJ.html">click here</a> to read more. </div><div align="justify">&nbsp;</div>                                                           
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Is the RTI law in danger of losing its might? -Poulomi Banerjee

Published on Jul 11, 2017   Modified on Jul 11, 2017

-Hindustan Times The RTI Act of 2005 made the government more accountable. But a new set of proposed rules may weaken the law and make it difficult and risky for people to access information In 2015, activist Lokesh Batra filed a Right To Information (RTI) application with the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) seeking details about the appointment of the next Chief Information Commissioner (CIC). But the DoPT refused to share the information, saying that the process of appointment was still on and the information was part of “cabinet papers,” which are exempted from disclosure.“I had in the past too filed RTIs seeking information on the appointment of the CIC and had never been refused before,” says Batra. The information was finally given to Batra after he put in an appeal. Batra’s RTI had followed protests and a public interest litigation (PIL) by activists in 2014-15 after the post of Chief Information Commissioner was kept vacant for a long time. “The fact that a government allows the Information Commission to go headless for so long is itself an indication that the government is not very serious about making sure that people are able to access their right to information,” says activist Anjali Bhardwaj. The RTI Act was passed in 2005 and has in the past helped uncover some big scams, such as the Adarsh Housing Scam in Mumbai – where houses meant for war widows and veterans were given to politicians and bureaucrats – irregularities in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2G scam. It has also been used extensively by people as a means to access their basic rights and entitlements. “About six to eight million RTI applications are filed in the country every year,” says activist Nikhil Dey. Bhardwaj agrees. “Our research has shown that the poorest and the most marginalised are the primary users of the RTI,” she says. “There is very poor grievance redress mechanism in our country. If someone complains that he or she is not getting ration, pension, or any other basic right and entitlement, nothing happens. In such a situation people have found it useful to file an RTI application.” A Worrying Change But earlier this year the government proposed some changes to the RTI rules, which have caused concern to activists. Once passed, the RTI Rules 2017 will replace the RTI Rules 2012. The proposed rules were put out on the DoPT website for comments from the public. There are two particularly worrying changes. The first is the provision that proceedings pending before the commission shall abate on the death of the appellant. The second is that the commission may allow an appellant to withdraw an appeal if the matter has not been finally heard or a decision or order not been pronounced by the commission. Activists feel both these rules make RTI users vulnerable to threats and attacks. “We are using the RTI because there are things we would want to expose. The minute you say you can withdraw, the guy who is affected will be at your throat,” says Dey. Dey himself was threatened by the sarpanch of a village, when he and a few others had gone to him to seek information regarding irregularities in development work. The incident took place in 1998, even before the RTI Act had been passed. The sarpanch and his family members not only roughed up and threatened Dey and his companions, but also lodged a false case against them, accusing them of assault. Ironically, a Munsif Magistrate last month sentenced Dey and his four co-accused to four months in prison in the 19-year-old case. The five have appealed against the conviction. But as activist Aruna Roy says, “The conviction sends out a warning to other information seekers on what can if you ask questions.” Activists Under Attack Attacks on RTI users are not rare. In 2015 Guru Prasad Shukla of UP was beaten to death by fellow villagers. He had sought information on development work in his village. Earlier this year activist Suhas Haldankar, who had exposed civic irregularities in Pune, was murdered. “At least 65 people have lost their lives for seeking information and exposing corruption since RTI came into force. Many have been attacked,” says Dey. In Odisha, two RTI activists have been murdered and 50 been subjected to brutal attacks, says Pradip Pradhan, state convener of Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan. Rolly Shivhare, an activist in Madhya Pradesh, says access to information has become more difficult in the state in the last two-three years. In Delhi, Prakasho, a resident of Jagdamba Camp, filed an RTI application in February this year, after she stopped receiving her widow pension from the women and child development department in October last year. When she received no reply, she filed a first appeal in April. There’s been no hearing yet, but after the first appeal was filed, a member of the Satark Nagarik Sangathan (SNS) says, officials of the department came to her house and told her that she should not file RTIs and should just come to the department. They also allegedly videographed the interaction to intimidate her. Bhardwaj believes that the only way to ensure some safety to applicants is to make the information public in case there is an attack on an applicant or he/she dies. Activist Aruna Roy feels that this needs to be done also because “the intent of the law is that the information being sought is, in any case, public information”. Not just activists, even current serving members of the Central Information Commission are against these proposed rules. M Sridhar Acharyulu, a central information commissioner, in his suggestion to the DoPT on the proposed rules, has said, “If an applicant is killed by a mafia about whom the information was sought, why should it not be disclosed? Will law allow the killing of the applicant, the appeal and the RTI?” He is also of the opinion that the CIC should have been consulted before framing the draft rules. Please click here to read more.

Hindustan Times, 9 July, 2017, http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/is-the-rti-law-in-danger-of-losing-its-might/story-6HhIHRG3lmuIg9ZagiU6aJ.html

Tagged with: Right to Information Right to Information (RTI) Right to Information Act Central Information Commission Central Information Commission (CIC) transparency Accountability

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