Next month, the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, one of the most powerful laws enacted in independent India, completes half a decade in the cause of transparent and accountable administration. It enables, on demand, access to information the State and Central governments have in their possession. It empowers Indian citizens to ask for and get specific information, subject to certain norms, from a Public Authority, “thus making its functionaries...

In an apparent reference to former Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) Pratyush Sinha’s recent comment regarding his “thankless” job, Union Law and Justice Minister M Veerappa Moily on Monday said senior officers weren’t expected to make such statements. Sinha had observed at an interview last week that the worst part of his “thankless” job was observing how corruption had increased as people became more materialistic. “I don’t want to name anyone, he...

Pushing the envelope regarding disclosure of confidential information, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has ruled that documents are open to public before being submitted to the Cabinet Secretariat for the Union Cabinet's consideration. This is a departure from the usual practice in the government where most public authorities took a wide view and denied all information related to Cabinet notes on the plea that the issue was under consideration and...

The Bill to protect Whistleblowers, introduced in the Lok Sabha, is a belated but welcome move to shield those who stand up, often at great personal risk, for the sake of truth and the public interest. The Public Interest Disclosures and the Protection to Persons Making the Disclosures Bill 2010 is the circuitous and protracted outcome of the Supreme Court's strong pitch for a mechanism to protect Whistleblowers. This it...

Citizens group urges Manmohan to pass Lokpal Bill CVC just an advisory body; it has no power to ask CBI to initiate inquiries Situation worse at State-level; Lokayuktas have to seek government permission A group of concerned citizens, including Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde, the former Chief Election Commissioner, J.M. Lyngdoh, and the former Central Vigilance Commissioner, P. Shankar, has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, urging him to take measures to pass a...