-Economic and Political Weekly The right to information, much like the right to vote, is rooted in the same fundamental right, with the offices of the Chief Information Commissioner and the chief election commissioner, respectively, operating at the same level of autonomy, towards the enforcement of these rights. The proposed amendments to the Right to Information Act, which reportedly seek to downgrade the status of the Chief Information Commissioner and information...
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Opposition irked over move to amend RTI act, may raise it on day 1 of monsoon session -Nidhi Sharma
-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: The government’s move to introduce a new bill to amend the Right to Information (RTI) Act in the monsoon session of Parliament has riled the Opposition parties and social rights activists. Opposition MPs are planning to raise the issue on the first day of the session. The government has not put the draft amendment bill in the public domain yet. In Parliament bulletin on “government business expected...
More »Institutes of Eminence status given without field visits, rankings -Anubhuti Vishnoi
-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: The choice of six Institutes of Eminence—three each in the public and private domains—has sparked controversy, particularly over one of them, but how did the committee arrive at its picks—and so quickly? Did the Empowered Expert Committee (EEC) that assessed all 113 eligible institutes follow selection guidelines to the letter? A close examination of the process followed suggests perhaps not. On the other hand, EEC chairman...
More »90% of Information Commissioners are civil servants -Vinita Deshmukh
-MoneyLife.in Recently and at last, Maharashtra has appointed a Chief Information Commissioner under the Right to Informaation (RTI) Act, and it is no surprise that he happens to be a former bureaucrat. Sumit Mallik, who just retired as Chief Secretary, takes over the chair, which was lying vacant since the last several months. The trend of appointing civil servants for the posts of CICs and Informaction Commissioners (ICs) has continued ever since...
More »PM tapped on RTI changes
-The Telegraph New Delhi: The National Campaign for Peoples' Right to Information on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put the proposed amendments to the RTI Act in the public domain in keeping with the government's policy of pre-legislative consultations. The policy, adopted in 2014, mandates that all draft legislation (including subordinate legislation) should be placed in the public domain for 30 days and comments invited from the public. It also requires...
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