The letter written by Shailesh Gandhi, former Central Information Commissioner, asks the President to send the bill back to the Parliament for reconsideration.
RTI activists in the city and state have written letters to President Ram Nath Kovind asking him to not sign the RTI Amendment Bill. President’s signature is the last step for it to be effective after being passed in both houses of Parliament on Thursday.
The letter written by Shailesh Gandhi, former Central Information Commissioner, asks the President to send the bill back to the Parliament for reconsideration. The letter has now been put online to gather signatures and support.
“The President was part of the committee that had suggested various changes including terms of officers and powers and functions of the commissioners. What they are going to change now, was proposed by him. I am hoping that the President’s conscience tells him to do the right thing. Something he proposed is what the bill looks to reverse,” said Gandhi.
Before being enacted in 2005, the RTI Bill was sent to a Parliamentary Committee of which Kovind then was a member. The committee discussed the issue of commissioners in six meetings as it was earlier proposed that chief commissioner will be the rank of secretary in state government and other commissioners will be of joint secretary rank.
The letter goes on to state that you will “recall this clearly as you were an important member of the committee.” The activist has emphasised that only this part is changed and no plausible reason is given.
“The President need not just be stamping authority. He can look into this matter. It was he who was part of the committee that recommended what is being changed now,” said Bhaskar Prabhu, another activist who has signed the petition.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Ram Nath Kovind")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}