-IANS The government wants to plug leakages in the public distribution system (PDS) before it implements the ambitious National Food Security Bill and has asked states to complete the process of computerisation of data on beneficiaries by October this year. The proposed law, a pet project of United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, aims to give legal right to cheaper foodgrain to 63.5 per cent of the population. According to a senior official...

By repeatedly decrying the CAG and trying to malign the person occupying that Constitutional office, the UPA government is weakening an important pillar of democracy and lowering its own credibility Admitting that there is a great deal of uncertainty and a perception of policy paralysis in the government these days, a senior Cabinet colleague of the prime minister recently observed that it was being created by the activities of (Comptroller and...

-The Deccan Herald The Central Information Commission (CIC) has stated that a citizen’s right to information would get primacy over an individual’s right to privacy, adding weight to the principle of transparency. In an important decision, the transparency panel said though the state had no right to invade the privacy of an individual but in extraordinary circumstances, where the government sought information from citizens, details could be given out under the Right...

-The Times of India CHENNAI: A temple is a public institution, and its activities are covered by the provisions of the Right To Information (RTI) Act even if it is administered by hereditary trustees, the Madras high court has ruled.  Justice K Chandru was passing orders on a writ petition filed by a hereditary trustee of the Sri Vengeeswarar Alagarperumal and Nagathamman Koil Devasthanam in Vadapalani questioning the legality of a circular...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: RTI activists have decided to file a PIL against the state government on the process of selecting the state chief information commissioner. The move follows the appointment of Ratnakar Gaikwad as the state chief information commissioner (SCIC) and activists feel that the state government needs to rethink its decision of having him at the helm of affairs. Gaikwad, who met RTI activists on Monday at his office,...