Whispers Forum

The latest institution that has come under the hammer is Information Commission, it seems. The right to information was a great step towards making citizens empowered. Its dilution started a few years ago and perhaps is on its wayout. That two committees comprising of bureaucrats will probe the complaints against CIC and information commissioners. This is certainly an onslaught on the Independence of the commission without which the commission is useless. As it is the Commission had become a parking lot for retired civil servants. Still it did exercise its role mostly in an impartial manner true to its role. the citizens including the aggrieved civil servants could ask for the information denied to them otherwise and why should they not get it when it affects them personally. For example an officer is not empanelled for Joint Secretary's post inspite of best of reports simply because opinion about him or her was sought from someone senior or junior without him knowing from whom and that someone gave unfavourable opinion maybe out of malice ,,jealousy or simply cussedness. Had the officer known the names he or she would have the opportunity to explain why the other person was hostile to him or her. The present Government has done some great things but some policies and actions have ruined many institutions which is not good for Democracy .i hope better sense prevails and the activists who were responsible for forcing the government to enact right to Information Act stop its dilution.
Aarti Khosla
Excellent gesture
Excellent gesture by UAE and an resounding success of the policies of PM.
Srinivas

Apropos WIC News item dt April 2, 2019.
DOP&T has invited applications from officers of organised services subject to fulfillment of certain criteria. Those interested may apply to DOP&T with an “ Essay “ (300 words) to justify their suitability for the assignment.
But, who will evaluate the essays? This remains a riddle inside an enigma wrapped in mystery. Babus in DOP&T, Cab Sectt or PMO ?
A small suggestion. Personality tests of written-qualified shortlisted candidates must be conducted by a three- member committee headed by the PM, with CJI and LOP ( or Rahul baba) as members.
Civil Services aspirants should be available for providing free coaching to the applicants in Essay writing. They have a compulsory paper on essay writing in UPSC’s civil services examination.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

The Appellant sought information regarding tariff chart for parking of cars at Terminal 2 Delhi Airport. The PIO submitted that DIAL is a private authority and is entrusted with the responsibility of looking after all operational matters etc. of IGI Airport and therefore it is free to fix tariff as per Chapter XII of the DIAL Operation, Management and Development Agreement. He referred the RTI Application to Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) under Section 6(3) of RTI Act while mentioning in the same letter that DIAL is not a public authority under RTI Act. The CIC took grave exception to the reply of the CPIO observing it as absurd and admonishes the CPIO for his gross non-application of mind in dealing with the RTI Application. The CIC noted that Ministry of Civil Aviation has regulatory powers over all airports in India. The CIC held that if the PIO maintains that DIAL looks after all operational matters of IGI Airport, the Ministry of Civil Aviation should be in a position to access the information from DIAL if the same is not available with their office.
Comments
If DIAL is not a public authority under RTI Act, by implication Section 6(3) of the RTI Act has no applicability for the said authority. The definition of information under the RTI Act is wide. Under section 2(f), “information” means not only any material in any form held by the public authority but also any information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force.
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is an expert on RTI matters and has co-authored 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 the link: http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/

In a recent case the Bank and its Central Pension wing had asked the widow to submit the documents that are for persons other than the wife of the deceased. DOPT should clearly and firmly tell the Banks that as long as the pension account is jointly held by the deceased and his wife, only death certificate is necessary to release the family pension. Asking for life certificate, employment certificate, non-marriage certificate etc should be clearly avoided. The purpose of indicating family pension in the PPO is defeated if the Banks decide to impose its own rules.
Lakshminarayanan