-PTI The Centre has asked all departments under it to ensure that RTI applicants are informed in time about payment of additional fees as photocopying charges and others. The directive came after the Central Information Commission (CIC) approached the Department of Personnel and Training, a nodal department for implementation of the transparency law, with complaints from various RTI applicants. It has been brought to the notice of CIC that some Central...

-The Times of India TOGI (RAJSAMAND): For once the crowd no longer mobs the district collector; not even in a surging camp of redressal seekers. Instead a nearby counter is mobbed. Up for grabs is a pink slip - the guarantee for an official hearing to all complaints. By the end of the day, grievances ranging from faulty electricity connections, non payment of wages, old age pension, a simple request for work...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: India Inc has had to wait for nearly three years for the government to roll out the rules relating to the functioning of electoral trusts. The rules have been recently notified and come into effect from January 31, 2013. The 2009 Budget had introduced provisions relating to electoral trusts in the Income-tax Act. It provided for tax exemption to electoral trusts which distribute contributions to political parties,...

-Economic and Political Weekly The government’s response to the protests led by the youth against the gang rape incident in New Delhi, in the form of an ordinance has not met the aspirations of the many protestors and the woman rights’ organisations. It can in fact be accused of being vindictive, having ignored the thoroughgoing recommendations of the government appointed justice Verma committee's report. Albeena Shakil (albeenashakil@gmail.com) is a women rights’ activist...

-The Times of India HYDERABAD: The controversial appointments of four information commissioners is one of the many topics that will be discussed at the upcoming national RTI (Right to Information) convention scheduled to be held in the city this week. Themed 'transparency to accountability', the convention will be attended by 400 RTIactivists from across the country, who will be discussing an array of issues affecting the Act. The convention is being...