-The Hindu Limiting RTI responses based on locus standi of the applicants could create a chilling effect The Right to Information Act’s role in fostering a more informed citizenry and an accountable government has never been in doubt ever since its implementation in 2005. But there have been persistent and growing misgivings. Section 4 of the Act calls for pro-active and voluntary dissemination of information, but only a few Central and State...

-Scroll.in They wrote a letter to the polling body, pointing out that the doubts about voting machines used in the elections were ‘yet to be resolved satisfactorily’. A group of former bureaucrats has written to the Election Commission of India, asking for a social audit of the last General Elections in order to establish its integrity and fairness. In a letter dated November 19, they cited various media reports to say that unauthorised...

-The Indian Express The government had amended the RTI Act in July this year allowing it to fix the tenure of CIC and ICs of the Centre and states, and also to lay down terms and conditions of service. The Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and Information Commissioners (ICs) may no longer enjoy five-year tenures and pay and perks similar to that of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs)...

-TheWire.in The RTI Convention begs the question: who will save the RTI? Ideally, the 14th convention on the RTI, on October 12, where Central and state commissioners were present, should have resolved against the amendment which reduces their collective independence. However, I am surprised that even non-bureaucrat commissioners also did not raise their voice against it. The least a convention of commissioners could have done was to ask for information on the...

-The Hindu Rajasthan’s Jan Soochna portal is a step in the right direction for transparency in governance Fourteen years since the implementation of the groundbreaking Right to Information (RTI) Act, which has helped shed light on government works and administration, the launch of the “Jan Soochna Portal” (public information portal) by the Rajasthan government on Friday marks a milestone in increasing transparency and accountability in governance. The portal details various schemes run...