-Economic and Political Weekly The recent Comptroller and Auditor General's report on the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and, more broadly, on nuclear safety regulation has highlighted many serious organisational and operational flaws. The report follows on a series of earlier CAG reports that documented cost and time overruns and poor performance at a number of nuclear facilities in the country. On the whole, the CAG reports offer a powerful indictment of...
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An excessive remedy
-The Hindu The Supreme Court order on the appointment of Information Commissioners has had an unsettling effect on the working of the Right to Information Act, an elegant seven-year old law that has immeasurably empowered the average citizen. What was designed as an easy-to-use legal tool for the poor and weak may now be at risk of getting tangled in a web of complexity. The Court has, inter alia, ruled that...
More »Don’t come on fishing trips, warns Berne-Ashis Ray
-The Times of India Indian government would be in serious breach of its international obligations if it discloses names of Indians having Swiss bank accounts, other than being compelled to do so by the judiciary. Speaking to TOI against the backdrop of the recent agitations by Anna Hazare and yoga guru Baba Ramdev for recovery of black money, a spokesman for the federal finance ministry in Switzerland said India "cannot make public"...
More »Uttar Pradesh cabinet keeps Lokayukta outside RTI Act ambit
-The Times of India LUCKNOW: The Akhilesh Yadav cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to put the office of Lokayukta outside the RTI Act purview. The cabinet said there was a need to maintain Secrecy while investigating corruption charges against officials. Since the office of the Lokayukta functions as an investigating agency, any queries about ongoing investigations can hamper probes, the government said. In its election manifesto, the Samajwadi Party had promised...
More »Extending RTI Act to public sector banks involves systemic risk-MR Umarji
-The Economic Times The main objective of the Right to Information Act, 2005, is to provide access to information in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority. The RTI Act defines 'public authority' as anybody or authority constituted by law made by competent legislature and includes anybody owned, controlled or substantially financed directly or indirectly by funds provided by the government. While deciding the status of any...
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