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Govt challenges SIC order on info disclosure panel

The order seeks institutional mechanism to include citizens to help govt

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The state government has filed a writ petition challenging the order by the state information commission (SIC) which stated that a committee including citizens be formed to help the government in suo motu disclosure of details under the Right To Information (RTI).

Former state chief information commissioner, Ratnakar Gaikwad had passed an order asking for an institutional mechanism to be put in place including citizens so that there is better implementation of disclosure of information by the government. Given on July 31, 2015, it directed the then chief secretary Swadheen Kshatriya who had told DNA that the order will be complied with.

The commission order had said that a technical advisory committee (TAC) be formed on the lines of BMC, which helps the latter better disclose information. The order was passed after a complaint was filed by Bhaskar Prabhu, a member of the BMC's TAC seeking measures wherein corrective inputs for better implementation of RTI Act can be given.

When the SIC order was not implemented, SK Nangia, an RTI activist filed an application to check on it. In its reply dated July 17, the government said that the SIC order has been challenged in the high court.

"They have challenged that directive which is a stupid move. This does not speak well of the government because it was a positive directive. The idea of the approach was to have people's participation in government with the spirit to improve the suo motu disclosure and compliance of RTI applications. Government officers do not give proper and full information. With the implementation of this order we were looking to have a regular dialogue with government," said Nangia.

Prabhu said, "By challenging the order, the government has shown that it is not interested in transparency. Even Department of Personnel and Training, the nodal agency for India in RTI implementation, has issued an advisory that there will be dialogue with citizens. Maharashtra was the first state to enact its own transparency law. However, this move does not aid in ensuring transparency."

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis did not respond to SMS from DNA.

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