They will create more confusion and slow down the process, says CIC.
The amendments to the RTI Act proposed by the central government have made activists as well as the public information commissioners (PIO) increasingly unhappy.
In a meeting held on Tuesday in the office of Mumbai Chartered Accountants Society at Churchgate, under the banner ‘Save RTI Act’,
activists in Mumbai were briefed by the central information commissioner (CIC) Shailesh Gandhi on the proposed amendments.
The president of India, Pratibha Patil, had first mentioned about the amendments to strengthen the Act in June.
The department of planning and training (DoPT) had made a presentation to over 50 PIOs on last week on the proposed amendments in New Delhi.
Many of the commissioners feel that the amendments are not required and will create unnecessary confusions. “There is a general consensus among the information commissioners, at the central and state levels, that these amendments will create confusion.”
“Most public information officers (PIOs) are still not well-versed with the Act. I have written to the government not to dilute the Act’s definition and to resist the urge to increase exemptions,” Gandhi said in the meeting.
The six amendments proposed in the presentation included establishing a division bench instead of a single bench for hearing appeals, reducing the number of exempted organisations in the Act, providing information on services covered, making provisions to accept applications from abroad, to avoid frivolous and vexatious appeals and removing the discussions/consultations that take place while taking a decision (file noting).
“Having a division bench will only slow down the process of hearing appeals. Others can be implemented by notification or changing rules, as amendments are not required,” said Gandhi.
Activists intend to oppose the amendments by various means. Sending a phonogram message, ‘Implement RTI; not amend’ to the PM, the ministry of DoPT, and to Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi is one of them. “Dharnas like the ones taken out in 2006 are also being planned,” said Bhaskar Prabhu, an activist.
“Citizens should also approach political parties since our elected representatives, incumbents or the ones in opposition can take up the issue at the appropriate level,” said Gandhi.
He also urged citizens to go beyond seeking information on personal problems, and to instead pursue irregularities in public departments.
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