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\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
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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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The RTI Act Amendment Bill must be junked

The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, has empowered millions of Indians to question governments and hold public functionaries accountable. Of the nearly six million RTI applications filed every year in the..."/>
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                            <div align="justify">-The Hindu<br /><br /><em>The RTI Act Amendment Bill must be junked<br /></em><br />The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, has empowered millions of Indians to question governments and hold public functionaries accountable. Of the nearly six million RTI applications filed every year in the country, a large proportion are by the poorest and the most marginalised who seek information about their basic rights and entitlements, like rations, pensions and health facilities. The use of the law has not been limited to accessing information about delivery of basic services, however. The RTI Act has been used extensively by citizens to question the highest offices in the country &mdash; from the educational qualifications of the Prime Minister and assets of public servants to human rights violations and false claims made by government functionaries &mdash; and seek answers from them.<br /><br />It is not surprising, therefore, that the RTI law has frequently faced a backlash from powerful vested interests. The latest attack on the legislation is the proposal of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government to amend it.<br /><br /><em>Why amend it?<br /></em><br />In complete contravention of the pre-legislative consultation policy, the government has drafted a bill to amend the RTI Act. The proposed amendment bill, which was brought in surreptitiously, seeks to destroy the independence of Information Commissions &mdash; the final adjudicators under the law.<br /><br />The RTI Act fixes the tenure of information commissioners at five years, subject to the retirement age of 65 years. Further, Sections 13 and 15 of the law state that the salaries, allowances and other terms of service of the Chief of the Central Information Commission shall be the same as that of the Chief Election Commissioner. Those of the Central Information Commissioners and State Chief Commissioners will be on par with Election Commissioners. The Chief and other Election Commissioners are paid a salary equal to the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court, which is decided by Parliament.<br /><br />The amendments seek to empower the Central government to decide the tenure, salaries, allowances and other terms of service of all Information Commissioners in the country. The rationale provided for undertaking this step is that treating Information Commissioners on par with functionaries of the Election Commission is incorrect, as the latter is a constitutional body while Information Commissions are statutory bodies.<br /><br />This contention is inherently flawed. The principle of statutorily securing tenure, and protecting the terms of service by equating it to functionaries of constitutional bodies, is routinely adopted to ensure independent functioning of statutory oversight institutions like the Central Vigilance Commission and the Lokpal. The fixed tenure and high status conferred on Commissioners under the RTI Act is to empower them to carry out their functions autonomously, without fear or favour, and direct even the highest offices to comply with the provisions of the law.<br /><br />Empowering the Central government to decide the tenure and salaries of Information Commissioners is a clear attempt to undermine their independence and to effectively make Commissions function like regular government departments.<br /><br />The BJP came to power on the plank of anti-corruption. The last four years, however, have witnessed repeated attempts to undermine the RTI Act.<br /><br />Please <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/muzzling-information/article24513976.ece?homepage=true" title="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/muzzling-information/article24513976.ece?homepage=true">click here</a> to read more. <br /></div>                                                           
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    <br><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/muzzling-information/article24513976.ece?homepage=true" class="re" target="_blank">The Hindu, 26 July, 2018, https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/muzzling-information/article24513976.ece?homepage=true</a><div class="clear"></div>
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    <h1 class="cat-box-title">Muzzling information -Anjali Bhardwaj &amp; Amrita Johri</h1>
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                            <div align="justify">-The Hindu<br /><br /><em>The RTI Act Amendment Bill must be junked<br /></em><br />The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, has empowered millions of Indians to question governments and hold public functionaries accountable. Of the nearly six million RTI applications filed every year in the country, a large proportion are by the poorest and the most marginalised who seek information about their basic rights and entitlements, like rations, pensions and health facilities. The use of the law has not been limited to accessing information about delivery of basic services, however. The RTI Act has been used extensively by citizens to question the highest offices in the country &mdash; from the educational qualifications of the Prime Minister and assets of public servants to human rights violations and false claims made by government functionaries &mdash; and seek answers from them.<br /><br />It is not surprising, therefore, that the RTI law has frequently faced a backlash from powerful vested interests. The latest attack on the legislation is the proposal of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government to amend it.<br /><br /><em>Why amend it?<br /></em><br />In complete contravention of the pre-legislative consultation policy, the government has drafted a bill to amend the RTI Act. The proposed amendment bill, which was brought in surreptitiously, seeks to destroy the independence of Information Commissions &mdash; the final adjudicators under the law.<br /><br />The RTI Act fixes the tenure of information commissioners at five years, subject to the retirement age of 65 years. Further, Sections 13 and 15 of the law state that the salaries, allowances and other terms of service of the Chief of the Central Information Commission shall be the same as that of the Chief Election Commissioner. Those of the Central Information Commissioners and State Chief Commissioners will be on par with Election Commissioners. The Chief and other Election Commissioners are paid a salary equal to the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court, which is decided by Parliament.<br /><br />The amendments seek to empower the Central government to decide the tenure, salaries, allowances and other terms of service of all Information Commissioners in the country. The rationale provided for undertaking this step is that treating Information Commissioners on par with functionaries of the Election Commission is incorrect, as the latter is a constitutional body while Information Commissions are statutory bodies.<br /><br />This contention is inherently flawed. The principle of statutorily securing tenure, and protecting the terms of service by equating it to functionaries of constitutional bodies, is routinely adopted to ensure independent functioning of statutory oversight institutions like the Central Vigilance Commission and the Lokpal. The fixed tenure and high status conferred on Commissioners under the RTI Act is to empower them to carry out their functions autonomously, without fear or favour, and direct even the highest offices to comply with the provisions of the law.<br /><br />Empowering the Central government to decide the tenure and salaries of Information Commissioners is a clear attempt to undermine their independence and to effectively make Commissions function like regular government departments.<br /><br />The BJP came to power on the plank of anti-corruption. The last four years, however, have witnessed repeated attempts to undermine the RTI Act.<br /><br />Please <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/muzzling-information/article24513976.ece?homepage=true" title="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/muzzling-information/article24513976.ece?homepage=true">click here</a> to read more. <br /></div>                                                           
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    <br><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/muzzling-information/article24513976.ece?homepage=true" class="re" target="_blank">The Hindu, 26 July, 2018, https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/muzzling-information/article24513976.ece?homepage=true</a><div class="clear"></div>
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-The Hindu

The RTI Act Amendment Bill must be junked

The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, has empowered millions of Indians to question governments and hold public functionaries accountable. Of the nearly six million RTI applications filed every year in the..." />
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    <h1 class="cat-box-title">Muzzling information -Anjali Bhardwaj &amp; Amrita Johri</h1>
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                            <div align="justify">-The Hindu<br /><br /><em>The RTI Act Amendment Bill must be junked<br /></em><br />The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, has empowered millions of Indians to question governments and hold public functionaries accountable. Of the nearly six million RTI applications filed every year in the country, a large proportion are by the poorest and the most marginalised who seek information about their basic rights and entitlements, like rations, pensions and health facilities. The use of the law has not been limited to accessing information about delivery of basic services, however. The RTI Act has been used extensively by citizens to question the highest offices in the country &mdash; from the educational qualifications of the Prime Minister and assets of public servants to human rights violations and false claims made by government functionaries &mdash; and seek answers from them.<br /><br />It is not surprising, therefore, that the RTI law has frequently faced a backlash from powerful vested interests. The latest attack on the legislation is the proposal of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government to amend it.<br /><br /><em>Why amend it?<br /></em><br />In complete contravention of the pre-legislative consultation policy, the government has drafted a bill to amend the RTI Act. The proposed amendment bill, which was brought in surreptitiously, seeks to destroy the independence of Information Commissions &mdash; the final adjudicators under the law.<br /><br />The RTI Act fixes the tenure of information commissioners at five years, subject to the retirement age of 65 years. Further, Sections 13 and 15 of the law state that the salaries, allowances and other terms of service of the Chief of the Central Information Commission shall be the same as that of the Chief Election Commissioner. Those of the Central Information Commissioners and State Chief Commissioners will be on par with Election Commissioners. The Chief and other Election Commissioners are paid a salary equal to the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court, which is decided by Parliament.<br /><br />The amendments seek to empower the Central government to decide the tenure, salaries, allowances and other terms of service of all Information Commissioners in the country. The rationale provided for undertaking this step is that treating Information Commissioners on par with functionaries of the Election Commission is incorrect, as the latter is a constitutional body while Information Commissions are statutory bodies.<br /><br />This contention is inherently flawed. The principle of statutorily securing tenure, and protecting the terms of service by equating it to functionaries of constitutional bodies, is routinely adopted to ensure independent functioning of statutory oversight institutions like the Central Vigilance Commission and the Lokpal. The fixed tenure and high status conferred on Commissioners under the RTI Act is to empower them to carry out their functions autonomously, without fear or favour, and direct even the highest offices to comply with the provisions of the law.<br /><br />Empowering the Central government to decide the tenure and salaries of Information Commissioners is a clear attempt to undermine their independence and to effectively make Commissions function like regular government departments.<br /><br />The BJP came to power on the plank of anti-corruption. The last four years, however, have witnessed repeated attempts to undermine the RTI Act.<br /><br />Please <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/muzzling-information/article24513976.ece?homepage=true" title="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/muzzling-information/article24513976.ece?homepage=true">click here</a> to read more. <br /></div>                                                           
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    <br><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/muzzling-information/article24513976.ece?homepage=true" class="re" target="_blank">The Hindu, 26 July, 2018, https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/muzzling-information/article24513976.ece?homepage=true</a><div class="clear"></div>
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Home हिन्दी

Muzzling information -Anjali Bhardwaj & Amrita Johri

Published on Jul 27, 2018   Modified on Jul 27, 2018

-The Hindu The RTI Act Amendment Bill must be junked The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, has empowered millions of Indians to question governments and hold public functionaries accountable. Of the nearly six million RTI applications filed every year in the country, a large proportion are by the poorest and the most marginalised who seek information about their basic rights and entitlements, like rations, pensions and health facilities. The use of the law has not been limited to accessing information about delivery of basic services, however. The RTI Act has been used extensively by citizens to question the highest offices in the country — from the educational qualifications of the Prime Minister and assets of public servants to human rights violations and false claims made by government functionaries — and seek answers from them. It is not surprising, therefore, that the RTI law has frequently faced a backlash from powerful vested interests. The latest attack on the legislation is the proposal of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government to amend it. Why amend it? In complete contravention of the pre-legislative consultation policy, the government has drafted a bill to amend the RTI Act. The proposed amendment bill, which was brought in surreptitiously, seeks to destroy the independence of Information Commissions — the final adjudicators under the law. The RTI Act fixes the tenure of information commissioners at five years, subject to the retirement age of 65 years. Further, Sections 13 and 15 of the law state that the salaries, allowances and other terms of service of the Chief of the Central Information Commission shall be the same as that of the Chief Election Commissioner. Those of the Central Information Commissioners and State Chief Commissioners will be on par with Election Commissioners. The Chief and other Election Commissioners are paid a salary equal to the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court, which is decided by Parliament. The amendments seek to empower the Central government to decide the tenure, salaries, allowances and other terms of service of all Information Commissioners in the country. The rationale provided for undertaking this step is that treating Information Commissioners on par with functionaries of the Election Commission is incorrect, as the latter is a constitutional body while Information Commissions are statutory bodies. This contention is inherently flawed. The principle of statutorily securing tenure, and protecting the terms of service by equating it to functionaries of constitutional bodies, is routinely adopted to ensure independent functioning of statutory oversight institutions like the Central Vigilance Commission and the Lokpal. The fixed tenure and high status conferred on Commissioners under the RTI Act is to empower them to carry out their functions autonomously, without fear or favour, and direct even the highest offices to comply with the provisions of the law. Empowering the Central government to decide the tenure and salaries of Information Commissioners is a clear attempt to undermine their independence and to effectively make Commissions function like regular government departments. The BJP came to power on the plank of anti-corruption. The last four years, however, have witnessed repeated attempts to undermine the RTI Act. Please click here to read more.

The Hindu, 26 July, 2018, https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/muzzling-information/article24513976.ece?homepage=true

Tagged with: RTI Act RTI Activists Right to Information Right to Information (RTI) Right to Information Act transparency Accountability

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