-The Business Standard But RTI is not the tool to impose transparency on parties There is no doubt that much is wrong with how elections in India are financed. In India, as in most democratic countries, the need for political funding is often what causes cronyism and outright corruption - in fact, more than one politician, cutting across party lines, is on record making this argument. It is necessary, certainly, to introduce...
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Activists slam political parties for anti-RTI stand -Himanshi Dhawan
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Civil society members and RTI activists sharply criticized political parties for their reluctance to accept the central information commission (CIC) order bringing them under the RTI Act. In a reflection of their cautious stance, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) - the main applicant who had sought information on donors to political parties - filed a caveat on Tuesday with the court to prevent any...
More »Funding of parties can come under RTI Act: Arun Jaitley -Mohua Chatterjee & Dhananjay Mahapatra
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: BJP leader and cricket administrator Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said the central information commission (CIC) ruling bringing political parties within the ambit of Right to Information (RTI) Act was per se not wrong as long as it applied to their funding. However, he was quick to introduce caveats. "The CIC logic behind applying RTI Act to political parties is that they are given land at concessional...
More »RTI Act: Congress leads parties' charge against transparency
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Unease among political parties over being brought under the purview of the RTI Act became evident on Tuesday with Congress strongly opposed the central information commission (CIC) order and BJP also expressing its reservations. Barring CPI, no political party welcomed the decision. CPM said it cannot accept the CIC order as it felt opponents can use the ruling to "undermine" a political party. Janata Dal (U)...
More »Political parties come under RTI, rules CIC -Himanshi Dhawan
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Lifting the cloak of secrecy from sources of funding of political parties and their expenditure the central information commission (CIC) has ruled that they are public authorities who now need to respond to RTI queries within six weeks. Political parties on Monday lost the battle to stay out of RTI purview and keep their donors secret after the commission in a 54-page order said six national...
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