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RTI activists slam new CIC website

Say pictures of PM and other leaders on homepage shows officials' 'indebtedness and gratitude' to political bosses

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Pictures of prime minister Narendra Modi (L) and finance minister Arun Jaitley on the homepage of the new CIC website
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The new Central Information Commission (CIC) website has come under the criticism of the Right to Information (RTI) applicants and activists. Calling it a bowing down of sorts, activists said it was a way of showing "indebtedness" to political masters.

The homepage of new website, which has been launched just days ahead of the RTI anniversary, has pictures of prime minister Narendra Modi, former central chief information commissioner greeting Modi, picture of convention and Arun Jaitley speaking at the convention, followed by the commission's new building. Many opined that this last picture would have sufficed.

"The new website gives a very wrong signal. The CIC is an independent body. What will an applicant think when he or she approaches the CIC? Imagine if the Supreme Court and High Court websites start having pictures of politicians on their homepage. This is not the fault of the PM but the central information commissioners, who seem to be showing their gratitude and indebtedness for having been appointed," said RTI activist Vihar Durve.

Echoing Durve's view, Commodore Lokesh Batra (retired), another RTI activist, said, "The new website is like the prime minister's website. That is objectionable because CIC is supposed to be neutral. Even if they wanted to put pictures of the convention, they could have put them as a separate thing in the photo gallery. That is how it happens in most constitutional websites. None of the other commission websites have photos of him."

Besides this issue, applicants and activists said the site was also not viewer-friendly. "In the old website, decisions were catergorised quarter-wise. It was easier to sort through important decisions without knowing the file numbers. Now, it has become tiring to look at orders. They have also introduced file number options, which will make it difficult for people to see the decisions if they do not have any information about them. Some links do not open as well," Batra said.

Durve added, "The Opposition, including Rahul Gandhi, is not objecting because they feel that people will question them on political parties coming under the RTI Act. Instead of pictures of politicians, the site should have pictures of those who have worked to ensure that the Act was implemented and those killed for using it."

Meanwhile, central chief information commissioner Radha Krishan Mathur did not respond to calls or messages from dna. A senior official said the site was created with the help of the commission and any suggestions or observations by citizens could be sent on the feedback section.

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