-The Times of India New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) will not return RTI appeals and complaints merely on account of non-submission of photo ID of the applicant. RTI rules do not specifically provide for furnishing of photo identity document along with appeals and complaints, minister of state for personnel, public grievances and pensions Jitendra Singh said in response to a written question in Rajya Sabha. "However, in compliance with directions of...

-The Indian Express It doesn’t have sufficient power and independence, and seems unworkable. The absence of an adequately independent and empowered body to investigate and prosecute allegations of corruption, especially relating to the rich and the powerful, has been a longstanding concern in India. The Central Vigilance Commission’s (CVC) relative independence has proved ineffective as it has few resources at its disposal while the CBI, which is relatively empowered, lacks independence —...

-The Indian Express The time has come for the NHRC and State Human Rights Commissions to proactively recognise, promote and protect HRDs and create an enabling environment for defending human rights. On 28 May 2011, in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh, two activists, Ramesh Agrawal and Harihar Patel, were arrested by the state police. Another activist, Rajesh Tripathi, went underground fearing imminent arrest. The trio, along with others, through their organisations—Jan Chetna...

-The Economic Times NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission and the state information commissions want the government to introduce a legal filter in the Right to Information Act to sift out vexatious, flippant and frivolous applications. The National Federation of Information Commissions in India, the apex body headed by the chief of CIC, has recommended that the Centre introduce a filter in the transparency legislation so that the RTI Act cannot...

-Livemint.com Telangana 9th state to declare drought, adding to the agrarian crisis and posing a threat to the rural economy New Delhi: Telangana has declared a drought in parts of the state, becoming the ninth state this year to do so, highlighting the agrarian crisis that could cause a likely fall in the production of rain-fed crops such as pulses, oilseeds and cotton, and result in a further slowing of the...