A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce, or a tragedy, or perhaps both.
James Madison
#transparency
#rti
#corruption
James Madison
#transparency
#rti
#corruption
#GS2 #RTI
Five steps to strengthen RTI
1. REDUCE PENDENCY
Government data shows that pending appeals have been a consistent hurdle: in May 2014, when the BJP government came to power, close to 35,000 appeals were pending before the CIC. In June 2019, about 31,000 appeals were pending, over 9,000 of those pending for over a year. Currently, four out of the ten positions of information commissioners are vacant.
2. Ensuring Safety of RTI Activists/ whisteblowers
According to a tracker of assaults on RTI activists set up by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), a Delhi-based international non-profit, 84 RTI activists have been murdered since 2005 for seeking information on illegal construction, alleged scams in social welfare schemes, and corruption in panchayats. While seven activists have committed suicide, more than 350 have either faced assault or harassment.
3. Pruning the EXCLUSION LIST
Section 24 of the RTI Act allows (the) government to increase the list of exemptions by an executive order... to strengthen the RTI Act, this should be only allowed through the legislature," he added. Since 2005, the list of exempted government organizations has grown from 18 to 26.
4. Constitutional status to CIC
Article 19 (1)(a) of the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression to citizens, but without the RTI, one cannot express oneself, including while making an electoral choice. In a slew of judicial pronouncements, the Supreme Court has also interpreted RTI as a fundamental right—in 1975 and 1982. However, to raise the stature of the CIC to that of a constitutional authority, the Constitution has to be amended
5. Bringing Political Parties under ambit of RTI
The CIC classified political parties as a public authority since they benefit from
1. land allotted by the government at cheap rates,
2. free air time with state broadcasters during elections, and
3. are allowed to claim income tax exemptions
Five steps to strengthen RTI
1. REDUCE PENDENCY
Government data shows that pending appeals have been a consistent hurdle: in May 2014, when the BJP government came to power, close to 35,000 appeals were pending before the CIC. In June 2019, about 31,000 appeals were pending, over 9,000 of those pending for over a year. Currently, four out of the ten positions of information commissioners are vacant.
2. Ensuring Safety of RTI Activists/ whisteblowers
According to a tracker of assaults on RTI activists set up by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), a Delhi-based international non-profit, 84 RTI activists have been murdered since 2005 for seeking information on illegal construction, alleged scams in social welfare schemes, and corruption in panchayats. While seven activists have committed suicide, more than 350 have either faced assault or harassment.
3. Pruning the EXCLUSION LIST
Section 24 of the RTI Act allows (the) government to increase the list of exemptions by an executive order... to strengthen the RTI Act, this should be only allowed through the legislature," he added. Since 2005, the list of exempted government organizations has grown from 18 to 26.
4. Constitutional status to CIC
Article 19 (1)(a) of the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression to citizens, but without the RTI, one cannot express oneself, including while making an electoral choice. In a slew of judicial pronouncements, the Supreme Court has also interpreted RTI as a fundamental right—in 1975 and 1982. However, to raise the stature of the CIC to that of a constitutional authority, the Constitution has to be amended
5. Bringing Political Parties under ambit of RTI
The CIC classified political parties as a public authority since they benefit from
1. land allotted by the government at cheap rates,
2. free air time with state broadcasters during elections, and
3. are allowed to claim income tax exemptions