Climate activists in India have discovered a crucial tool in their battle to hold the government accountable on its climate policies: the country's landmark Right to Information (RTI) Act. Passed in 2005, the act requires all government bodies to respond to citizen requests for information within 30 days. Many bodies, threatened with legal action after initially failing to respond, are now delivering information that shows big gaps in the country's...
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Government moots amendments to RTI Act by J Venkatesan
The Right to Information (RTI) Act will be amended to avoid frivolous or vexatious requests and prevent the Centre from disclosing information relating to the Cabinet papers so as to ensure the smooth functioning of the government. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions gave this information to RTI activist Subash Chandra Agrawal, who wanted to know whether there was a proposal to introduce amendments in the Act. The government also...
More »Whistleblowers at receiving end after using RTI by Meena Menon
Two events triggered widespread condemnation and protests Satish Shetty, who was murdered, had targeted the land mafia Dattatray Patil's targets were the powers that be in Kolhapur While Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan is proud that the State has an impressive 98.69 per cent disposal rate of requests under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the murder of two campaigners who used the law to good effect is a blot. First, it was...
More »Whistleblowers at receiving end after using RTI by Meena Menon
While Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan is proud that the State has an impressive 98.69 per cent disposal rate of requests under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the murder of two campaigners who used the law to good effect is a blot. First, it was Satish Shetty at Talegaon, near Pune, who was killed on January 13, and more recently Dattatray Patil at Ichalkaranji, in Kolhapur district, on May 22....
More »Info chief calls for steps to check misuse of RTI
In a bid to curb the misuse of free information under the Right To Information (RTI) Act, the state information commissioner has recommended that not more than 100 page-photocopies should be given free of cost to those below the poverty line. Chief information commissioner Suresh Joshi said the clause under which information is given free of cost to below poverty line persons, was being misused. He cited a case where...
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