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RTI amendment cleared, file notings to be kept out

Besides keeping file notings out of the RTI Act, Union Public Service Commission examination papers would also be exempt.

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NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday cleared an amendment to the Right to Information (RTI) Act to "remove ambiguities and make it more effective" while exempting secretary level "file notings" from its ambit.

Besides keeping file notings out of the RTI Act, Union Public Service Commission examination papers would also be exempt.

The only exception would be file notings on social and development issues, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told reporters.

"The amendments to the Right to Information Act, 2005 will remove the ambiguities and will make its provisions more effective and progressive," Dasmunsi said.

Under the act as it exists today, notings by secretaries on all files have to be provided. However, the Central Information Commission (CIC) as well as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were said to be apprehensive about it.

According to government sources, the prime minister felt that giving access to file notings could be misused to target individual bureaucrats.

The UPSC had also requested that the sensitive area of its selection process be put out of the purview of the act.


 

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