-The Hindu With the kernel of the Information Act under threat, the independence of the information commission is in peril When we describe India as a democracy what do we really mean? Are we referring merely to a system of popular sovereignty founded in universal adult franchise? Or are we suggesting something more — perhaps an assurance, grounded in the Constitution, of a set of rights, of the rights, among others, to...
More »SEARCH RESULT
Central RTI Law to Now Apply to J&K and Ladakh -Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar
-TheWire.in Jammu and Kashmir has till now been covered by the J&K RTI Act – a more powerful law than the central one in some respects. New Delhi: Following the revoking of Article 370 and ending of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, the central Right to Information Act, 2005 would now apply to the two new union territories of J&K and Ladakh that will be carved out. Jammu and Kashmir has till now...
More »RTI amendment: Centre has no authority to make law on states -M Sridhar Acharyulu
-Down to Earth The amendment to the RTI Act does not deserve the assent of the President, writes former Central Information Commissioner M Sridhar Acharyulu in the second of this two-part series The Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions told the House that Parliament's competence to enact a law to give effect to the citizens' right to obtain information is located in Entry 97 of the Union List...
More »The RTI journey: From rural to digital -Shriya Mohan
-The Hindu Business Line How a cluster of villages in Rajasthan embraced transparency, spurred a nationwide movement and inspired the birth of a digital portal to counter the dilution of the RTI The walls were painted a bright yellow. Drawn on them in black were statements of income and expenditure, breaking down figures in meticulous detail with rows and columns stretching across two and sometimes three floors. The paintings weren’t just on...
More »The makings of a digital kleptocracy -Reetika Khera
-The Hindu When data is monetised, as the Economic Survey advocates, it becomes toxic and harms public interest Last year, I was denied information requested under the Right to Information Act (RTI) 2005. I had sought the names of agencies empanelled by the Unique Identification Authority of India for an “image makeover” and the expenditure on it. It was denied by invoking the exemption clauses of Sections 8(d) and 8(j), respectively, i.e....
More »