Whispers Forum

The cadre restructuring proposal of Indian Railways is yet to be cleared .This put the large number of Railway officers belonging to eight organised services at a disadvantage vis a vis other Group A services like Indian Postal Service, IP&TFAS service , Indian Revenue Services, ICAS, IDAS, IA&AS etc. The officers of almost all Group A have benefited with promotions etc due to additional posts being approved as a result Cadre restructuring however the file with Railways is still doing the rounds in DoPT.
Vox Populi
Head of Law Enforcement Agency : Politically Exposed Person (PEP)
Involvement of head of the law enforcement agency in sabotaging investigations and other serious charges are not a new story at least in India . All such top posts are categorised as PEP i.e. Politically Exposed Person , a terminology developed by Financial Action Task Force (FATF) when there is high risk of abuse of posts and powers by such class of officers . Needless to mention here that CBI like situation exists almost in every law enforcement agency. On such issues India may have to face embarrassing situations during next mutual evaluations by FATF.
S Karan

The RTI applicant sought information regarding a certain mediclaim, penal actions that could be taken against the Medanta Hospital, Gurgaon for overcharging Rs. 750/- from insured as per the IRDA guidelines, action taken on complaint made to LIC of India and IGMS relating to the medical claim and issues related thereto. The CIC observed that the framework of the RTI Act, 2005 restricts the jurisdiction of the Commission to provide a ruling on the issues pertaining to access/ right to information and to venture into the merits of a case or redressal of grievance. The CIC observed that technically, the RTI queries had been replied by the Public Authority but the discussion during the hearing raised several issues regarding the mediclaims of the family pensioners under LIC-NIA Scheme and the issues associated thereto that need to be addressed meticulously by the Public Authority. The CIC advised the Public Authority officials to re-examine and re-evaluate the steps under taken by them for implementation of the mediclaim policy and ensure that the delivery mechanism is strengthened and made more robust.
Comments
The jurisdiction of the CIC under the RTI Act is limited. While deciding whether a citizen should or should not get a particular information “which is held by or under the control of any public authority”, the Information Commission does not decide a dispute between two or more parties concerning their legal rights other than their right to get information in possession of a public authority.
Citation: Mr. Akshay Kumar Malhotra v. CPIO Manager (CRM) LIC of India, Divisional Office in Second Appeal No. CIC/LICOI/A/2017/170260-BJ, Date of Decision: 16.11.2018
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is the co-author of the books: RIGHT TO INFORMATION – LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/

The RCTs (Railway Clams Tribunals) are big white elephant. RCT is a big liability. In fact, so much so, it is the common knowledge that even if Railways accept and settle all he claims filed, it will still work out cheaper. Two Members in each RCT with a massive set up and building is a huge drain on the exchequer
Ravi Pipal
Extortion game in CBI wasn’t a secret
But everyone knew the extortion game going on in CBI. Its good that things have come out in the open. Last few Directors had less than impeccable integrity. Remedial steps can emerge only when malaise is admitted.
Atul Kumar Gupta

A circular was issued by M/o Health on 15th January, 2018, regarding simplification of referral system under CGHS, wherein in para 1(i) it has been mentioned that after consultation at recognised private hospitals beneficiary shall report back to concerned wellness centre where Mo/CMO would endorse listed investigations and issue medicines. Meaning thereby first one has to go to wellness centre, get referral slip and then go to Hospital, make payment, consult the doctor, after consultation comes back to wellness centre get investigations endorsed, then again go back to hospital for for investigation, and normally every patient is required to go for fasting and PP blood sample and other tests, which requires 2 hourly difference between Fasting and PP, then next day go to collect the report and again make payment and consult the doctor. If you have been prescribed medicines, go back to wellness centre, if medicines are available well and good and if not it will be indented and you will be getting next day officially after 12 o clock which is rare. Merely by reading the above one can make out how simplified referral system it is. What is the need for getting endorsement of investigations without which one will not able to get back reimbursement. Govt. officers issuing all these welfare circulars never seem to be availing all these facilities or think they will never retire or will never face these difficulties. It seems there is no application of mind and ultimately resulting in to a cruel system and which harasses its own work force and the bad publicity to the ruling dispensation. I hope Secretary, Health, takes note of all these and corrective measure are taken to improve the system.
Arun

This is an absurd surmise by the so called insiders about postal ballots. Postal ballots are also a well guarded secret till counting today and it is preposterous and a stupid thing to talk whether a party X or a party Y has got so many votes. But if there is any iota of truth which is a very improbable then the election commission of India and the state election authorities are responsible and the necessary stern punishment to the guilty. This is a very fit case for the just retired CEC to answer instead of talking about demonetisation etc which are subjects which he can talk about as a private citizen but not as part of the election commission of India.
Srinivas
Too heinous to comment upon
What happened at Bulandshahr the other day is too heinous to comment upon. Some people find carcases of cow and they turn into devils instigating violence and killing two people in cold-blood. What was the fault of the police inspector who was only performing his duty. Why these criminals could not think beyond their frenzied misplaced hysteria over the death of a cow that the man has a family. He is father, husband ,brother and son to someone whose lives will be ruined by killing him. This lawlessness is difficult to understand. One feels angry at the Government which is busy doing everything except governance which is their main task. The U.P Chief minister is busy campaigning in far-off Telengana threatening people to throw them out of the country while his cops are being killed in his own state.As a matter of fact U.P does not have much to show during the past two years of this administration except some suspect police encounters or some horrible crimes of rapes and murders.
Aarti Khosla

CBI was one of the best investigation agency not in the India but world also. There was a time, investigation, prosecution and conviction rate was very high in CBI but in about last 10 years due to work load and supervision of senior officers (like local police practice), CBI has reached in the worst stage now. So overhaul is necessary and there should be watch on corrupt officers who should be removed immediately.
Ajay Singh
Heartiest congratulations
My heartiest congratulations for taking over the charge of the prestigious and challenging post of the Chief Election Commissioner of India.
R S Meena

The RTI applicant sought information regarding Shri Ram Gopal and Smt. Archana and other family members, marriage expenditures survey report as per Section 133A (5) of the Income Tax Act with cash flow details i.e., whether they satisfied the cash flow details, whether his father in law, wife, brother in law and sister in law were Income Tax Assesses, if so, whether they were filing the IT Returns on a regular basis and issues related thereto. The CIC directed that the broad outcome of the investigation should be disclosed to the appellant as soon as the investigation is completed.
Comments
In case of Tax evasion petition, the CIC has been taking the view that the complainant should be informed whether the allegations made in the TEP are fully true, partially true or untrue.
Citation: Mr. Rajesh Bharti v. CPIO, O/o the DGIT (Inv), CPIO, O/o the Pr. DIT (Inv), CPIO and ACIT (OSD) (Inv.- IV), M/o Finance, Department of Revenue, CBDT in Second Appeal No.: CIC/CCITC/A/2017/156422-BJ, Date of Decision: 16.11.2018
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is the co-author of the books: RIGHT TO INFORMATION – LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/

The number of schemes, memorials, tournaments, projects, trophies, awards, airports, hospitals, universities etc named after Nehru- Gandhi dynasty by successive Congress-led dispensations during the past 70 years ,is mind boggling.
Have a look at the country-wide break-up.
(a) Universities/Educational Institutes-- 98
(b) Roads/Buildings/Places-- 73
(c) Awards-- 51
(d) Schemes in Congress-ruled States- 52
(e) Sports/Tournaments/ Trophies --28
(f) Schemes/Projects-- 13
(g) Scholarships/Fellowships-- 15
(h) Airports/ Ports-- 05
(i) Institutions/Chairs/Festivals-- 37
(j) Hospitals/Medical Institutes-- 39
(k) National Parks/Sanctuaries/Museums --15
(l) Stadia --19
Total -- 445
This is not acceptable in a democracy. Totally unethical. India is not a dynastic monarchy.
Busy in re- naming spree, the BJP instead of rectifying the anomaly, is taking "revenge " by erecting tall statues out of public funds. Stoking public indignation. BJP's popularity rating is going down with each passing day. What next ?
Let the union of India issue an omnibus order to cancel names of monuments. These are national assets, not owned by any dynasty.
Promulgate an ordinance ,if so advised by Min of Law, followed by legislative sanction.
It would be just and fair for the ruling political dispensation also to put a total stop to erection of statues in future by wasting tax payers’ money.
A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)
New design of whispersinthecorridors.com highly commendable
New design of whispersinthecorridors.com with segregation of topics is highly commendable and users' friendly.
Mahadev Bhoi