RTI amendment logic laughable: Activists

Activists across the country are furious over the proposed RTI Amendment Bill, 2019 which has been reintroduced in Parliament. They call the government's logic in bringing the amendment "laughable", and say it comes amid more pressing questions related to the RTI Act that remain unanswered.

They have decided to write to their elected representatives, organise protests and conduct a social media campaign against the proposed amendment, which would decide the salaries, tenure and service conditions of the information commissioners (ICs) and downgrade the commissioner's post so it is not equivalent to that of a Supreme Court judge's.

"The Union department of personnel and training said in Parliament that an IC's order can be challenged in high court. So how can they rank the same as a Supreme Court judge? The statement is factually wrong. The challenge to an info commissioner's order is brought only under writ jurisdiction, which is about defending fundamental rights. The orders of the President, Prime Minister, Governors and Central Election Commissioners are also challenged in writ jurisdiction before high courts. So by the same logic, will it now be argued that all these positions be downgraded? They are bringing this amendment to control commissioners. This happened after orders by some commissioners were not liked by the Centre," said Shailesh Gandhi, a former central information commissioner.

"With the proposed changes, a government wanting to make commissioners pliable will bring an ordinance and keep changing terms. The BJP government had tried this last time as well. They want to throttle an Act that reduces corruption. Parliament has decided that commission orders can be challenged only as writ. Orders of many other bodies are challenged as writs," said Bhaskar Prabhu of Mahiti Adhikar Manch, a body that promotes usage of RTI.