Activists see red over Maharashtra govt move to amend RTI rules

As more and more scams come tumbling out of the closet by the day, courtesy the Right to Information (RTI), the Maharashtra government has made a move to amend RTI rules.

As per a notification, dated January 16, which is floating around on emails, an applicant can ask questions only on a single subject matter and his application cannot exceed 150 words. Besides, during inspection, a person can carry only a pencil along with him.

Say, for instance, you have filed an RTI application with the building proposal department. If a part of the reply involves the building construction department as well, chances are that the authorities may ask you to file a separate RTI application.

RTI activists in the city have dubbed this move an “absolute breach of trust”. The clause of the ‘single subject matter’, in particular, has left them worried. “It was done only to scuttle the RTI Act. They did not even bother to tell us,” , alleged RTI activist Krishnaraj Rao. “Instead of appointing commissioners, the government is more interested in destroying the Act,” said GR Vora, who has started a signature campaign against the move. “Many scams have come out of the closet of the government. This is being done only to hide them,” alleged Bhaskar Prabhu, another RTI activist. VK Sampat, an advocate, also slammed the move.

Nandukmar Jantre, former under-secretary, general administration department, confimed having prepared the notification. “It was cleared by the CM in January,” said Jantre.

Each state is allowed to make rules to ensure the smooth functioning of the RTI Act, 2005.