-Outlook The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has refused to disclose communications exchanged between former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Chief Minister Narendra Modi during the 2002 Gujarat riots even after 11 years. Responding to an rti application, the Prime Minister's Office cited section 8(1)(h) of the transparency law, which exempts information that would impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders. Nearly 2,000 people were killed in the...

-The Hoot The drafting of the application should be such that it points towards the specific documents required in relation to the information sought. An extract from the section for information seekers in the 2013 guide. FOR INFORMATION SEEKERS Method of Seeking Information A citizen, who desires to obtain any information under the Act, should make an application to the Public Information Officer of the concerned public authority in writing in...

-Outlook New Delhi: The Centre today asked state governments to put all information related to implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and Public Distribution System in public domain. It has also asked states to ensure proactive disclosure under Right to Information (rti) Act of information on public works done by a department at block and panchayat levels. Section 4 of the rti Act, 2005 lays down that information should be...

-The Hindustan Times Kolkata: In a move to protect whistle-blowers in the country, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday ruled that a petition under the Right to Information (rti) Act can be made by using only a post box number without giving the name and address. The ruling was aimed at protecting applicants or rti activists from attack or harassment by persons who do not want information about...

-The Hindu Says Kerala DGP in reply to rti query Kochi (Kerala): How many innocent people are lodged in prisons across Kerala? About 40 per cent of the inmates are not guilty of any crime, says a reply from the office of the Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services to a query asked under provisions of the Right to Information (rti) Act. The Director General, Alexander Jacob, said at a public function...