The Central Information Commission (CIC) in New Delhi has asked the Rajasthan High Court to revisit a number of provisions framed by it pertaining to the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The commission passed the order in response to an appeal by a Mumbai-based RTI Activist, Sunil Ahya. Ahya sought to know the reasons why the Rajasthan HC framed certain rules under the Rajasthan Right to Information (High Court and Subordinate...
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India fails to check human rights violations: Human Rights Watch
-IANS Custodial killings, police abuse including torture, and failure to implement policies aimed at protecting vulnerable communities marred India's record in 2011, according to the Human Rights Watch World Report. The global report released on Monday pointed out that immunity for abuses committed by security forces also continued, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, the northeast, and areas facing Maoist insurgency. However, the report found that killings by the Border Security Force (BSF)...
More »RTI Activist clarifies his position before Jamia VC, offers apology
-TCN News Forum for Student Democracy Convener and RTI Activist Afroz Alam Sahil on Friday was called by the administration of Jamia Millia Islamia for clarification of his stand on his own statement that he made two weeks ago on NDTV regarding alleged swindling of some funds by the varsity. Jamia had taken strong notice of his statement and sent him a legal notice worth Rs 50 lakh. In today’s meeting with...
More »In Chhattisgarh Assembly, RTI Applicants Face New Hurdles by Prakhar Jain
THE CHHATTISGARH Assembly will now consider an applicant’s intent before giving information under RTI. It might even refuse the application if it is convinced it has been made with mala fide intent. This clearly goes against the RTI Act, which says that an applicant requesting information shall not be required to give any reason. But can intent be ascertained without asking the reason? The Assembly enforced this rule last month by...
More »UPA signals intent to deregulate sugar industry by Sangeeta Singh
The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) on Friday signalled its intent to deregulate the sugar industry, a move that could potentially stoke a political backlash, especially at a time when states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand—all sugarcane-growing regions—are in the middle of an election campaign. The opposition claimed that not only was it anti-farmer, it also violated the electoral code of conduct prevalent in five states, while sugar stocks of...
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