Whispers Forum

The appellant sought certified copy of passport renewal application of his wife Mrs. Shaily Mishra Mittal along with documents submitted for passport renewal. The PIO replied that the Appellant was seeking personal information of a third party exempted from disclosure under Section 8 (1) (j) of the RTI Act. Appellant submitted before the CIC that he wants to know the marital status indicated by his wife in her passport renewal application as it is his apprehension that false information regarding her marital status has been indicated. He contended that the information sought was not exempted from disclosure as per Section 8 (1) (j) of the RTI Act as he was seeking details regarding his legally wedded wife who cannot be considered as a third party as their marriage is presently valid. The CIC held that an appropriate response in accordance with the provisions of the RTI Act has been provided as the Appellant is seeking personal information of a third party contained in her passport, disclosure of which is exempted u/s 8 (1) (j) of the RTI Act.
Comments
The use of RTI Act in quasi-judicial proceedings is not uncommon where the applicant tries to use another channel instead of the regular appellate remedy. Such attempts can provide a meaningful result only in cases where “information” is sought and there are no prescribed ways to obtain it.
Citation: Shri Prem Prakash v. Competition Commission of India, CIC/CPCOI/A/2023/105991; Date of Decision: 28.03.2024
Dr Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is a RTI Consultant currently working with IIM Visakhapatnam. She has co-authored the books, RTI Right to Information - Law and Practice and PIO’s Guide to RTI. She offers consultancy on RTI matters and Third party audit. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link www.rtifoundationofindia.com

Paper leakages, time-lags in conducting the examination, awarding grace marks as compensation, extortions of money from the candidates for facilitating qualifying, sting operations and so on. The case has all the ingredients of a mega scam. Unfortunately, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has been in the denial mode, ostensibly trying to protect the alleged wrong-doers. No arrests of officials, not even suspensions, have been ordered, till date. NTA’s role has been unprofessional, dubious, suspect from the beginning.NTA has a lot to learn from a professional body like the UPSC. Needless to mention. The mega- scam must be having inter-state/country-wide ramifications , involving powerful mafia. It would be in the fitness of the things, if in these circumstances, the case is subjected to a Supreme court-monitored inquiry by the CBI. Further, as the integrity of the examination has been compromised, it may be declared cancelled, sooner than later, and re-conducted afresh. This is the demand of the public-at-large including the aspirants. The public feels greatly saddened by the sufferings undergone by genuine aspirants for the hard labour they put in. But, the ends of justice will have to be met. The verdict of the Supreme court, will, no doubt, have to be honoured. Stormy sessions may be ahead in the Parliament. The ruling dispensation will have much to explain.
A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

As the results came in on June 4 the NDA Alliance realised that a fractured mandate had been given by the people. PM Modi and his colleagues, Shah , Nadda , Rajnath Singh, then took a strategic decision to sit in the Opposition benches in Lok Sabha . They called their NDA pre- poll alliance partners and informed them of BJP leader’s decision. They also asked their colleagues to make their own decisions regarding government formation, and were free to act as they thought fit. Both Nitish Kumar and Naidu were completely stunned by this decision of the BJP leadership as expressed by PM Modi on the telephone to them. Both Naidu and Nitish Kumar were deeply unhappy by this news and requested PM to wait before making any assumptions about their future plans. This decision of the BJP leadership leaked to the INDI alliance, Kharge and Jairam Ramesh who were stunned. Why? They were totally aware of the chaos in their alliance. They were further apprehensive of the Rs 8500 per person per month announced by Rahul Gandhi and his determination to distribute wealth from rich to poor like Robin Hood fables. Where were the resources going to come from and would result in anarchy in India. Kharge asked Pawar to speak to Nitish Kumar. When Pawar spoke to Nitish Kumar he pointedly asked him his source of information! Pawar said he had no knowledge and was only asked to speak to Kumar. Nitish Kumar then told him about the input he had received from PM Modi ! This shocked Pawar. He called back to Kharge immediately and pointedly asked him - Who is going to be PM - tell me that first? Pawar called up Akhilesh Yadav of SP party and told him everything that he had learnt from Nitish Kumar. Yadav rang up Kharge and told him not to make any decisions till he arrived in Delhi. He further told Kharge that if you do not listen to me , I will withdraw from INDI alliance and would be alone in Lok Sabha. That statement stumped Congress party totally. Their numbers vanished as Yadav wanted to be PM too? Ms Mamata from Bengal had already thrown in her ambition to be PM too!
Devindra Sethi

First the PoK. It was in the news, recently due to terror attack sponsored by Pakistan, killing many pilgrims and injuring many more. Terror attacks have not stopped despite the promises made by the ruling dispensation to justify demonetisation. Proxy war from training camps from across the border, however, continues unabated. More terror attacks could be in the pipeline. Intelligence failure. Now, consider Tibet. India, in a tit-for-tat, has reportedly decided to rename over 30 places in Tibet ( called Xizang in mandarin). India did not protest China’s forcible occupation of Tibet since 1959. Renaming places, though belated, will thus tantamount to re-opening the Tibetan issue. Better, late than never. China has been a perennial pain in our neck. China has, of late, deployed PLA tanks along LOC in POK. War seems imminent. The question is: Is renaming of places in Tibet by India not over due, especially when China under cartographic aggression, has already renamed several sites in Arunachal Pradesh(AP) besides constructing hundreds of villages inside AP through its draconian policy of salami-slicing and claiming AP as part of south Tibet. It has been issuing stapled visas to Indians domiciled in AP. Similar incursions have been reported by the locals in Ladhak. No protest. China has also deployed PLA troops along the LAC. Galvan valley confrontation, is fresh in our mind. Against this backdrop, renaming over 30 places in Tibet by India, is considered a smart foreign policy initiative. The NDA-3.0 dispensation. is expected to put its best foot forward and forcibly occupy POK-Gilgit-Baltistan. Delay will be disastrous. Aksai chin (38,000 sq km) is already under China’s illegal occupation. China is hell-bent on occupying Taiwan, conducting military exercises, dangerously close to Taiwan. This may escalate tension in south-china sea region. India, ready for hybrid war against dual challenges from China and Pakistan, has a strong maritime presence in the region. Finally, a word about Dalai Lama. China has destroyed Tibet’s pristine culture by demolishing pagodas, monasteries, replacing Tibetan language by the mandarin. Buddhism was born in India. Both Tibet and India have age-old ties. The Tibetans facing persecution by China, fled to India in 1959 and were given shelter- mostly concentrated in Dharamshala. The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his non-violent struggle for liberating Tibet. He has been living here in exile since March 1959. He is highly regarded for his contribution to India’s composite culture and philosophy. While maintaining his Tibetan identity, Dalai Lama follows liberal Nalanda traditions. This serves as a testament to the enduring bonds that exist between the Tibetan and Indian cultures. Nalanda had a Mahavihara, a large Buddhist monastery in the ancient kingdom of Magadha(present Bihar). Earlier, Khan Abdul Ghaffar khan(of Pakistan) and ex-President Nelson Mandela were awarded Bharat Ratnas in1987 and 1990 respectively. Then, why deny the honour of Bharat Ratna to Dalai Lama? This will be a retort and politically correct step against China’s misadventures.
A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

As a BJP supporter, it pains me that BJP has to depend on two opportunists for its survival. This predicament of BJP is mainly because of arrogance and autocratic ways of Modi and Shah duo. They tried hard to undermine senior leaders such as Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Vasundhara Raje, Shivraj Chouhan, Yogi Adityanath so that Modi has no challengers at all. This proved costly in UP, and Rajasthan. Further they weaponised ED, CBI, IT to target opposition leaders. In the last two years ED and IT were over active in raiding opposition leaders and this lead to a strong opposition unity. UP, Maharashtra results are mainly opposition unity under adversity. Surprisingly CBI was not so much proactive like ED and IT because its director is chosen by CJI also whereas ED is functioning with a temporary chief and IT by an officer on extended service. To course correct Modi must rein in Shah and accord respect to all senior leaders at least now. He needs to sack the current temporary incumbents and appoint regular chiefs for ED and IT immediately and not encourage targeting opposition leaders, who may unite against BJP and gain public sympathy. This election is a wake-up call for Modi to shun arrogance and not squander the opportunity to serve the country again in 2029. If there is no course correction BJP supporters like me will be disappointed in future when congress wins again on anti Modi plank.
Narendra

It seems only whispers in the corridors and Yogendra Yadav got it right this time. Timely intervention by BJP high command looking to these predictions would have improved their performance.
S K Saboo
Census on caste basis
Congress collected caste details in last census but no policy decisions came out of it. The question is not about data gathering the question is how they will translate into policy making.
Sukant
Why are you not telling truth?
More than 2000 homes, 600 shops, nine temples and six mosques were demolished in Ayodhya without giving any compensation that's the reason.
Faiz

As per news reports, Modi is all set to take oath as PM for the third term. In order to succeed, he may have to amend his style of functioning. First and the foremost, as PM of a coalition, he will have to come out of the authoritarian mode that he is not used to. He is bound to face demands from coalition partners for allocating attractive portfolios for ministerial berths. Balancing pressures from coalition partners for arriving at consensus on sensitive issues, will be a herculean task. Every coalition partner cannot be satisfied beyond a point. Worse, pressures from within his own party members especially Nitin Gadkari, Rajnath Singh, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Yogi, could upset the apple cart. Unstable coalition may suffer setbacks in the absence of a spirit of accommodation.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

As a die-hard supporter of BJP, I am relieved that at least NDA got majority. In my humble opinion the following are the reasons for BJP’s downfall from majority: 1. People love humility and loath hubris. Modi definitely spoiled this image by claiming to be a messenger of God out to save India. 2. Modi surrounded himself with sycophants and promoted his personality cult. 3. Using CBI, ED, I-T as weapons against opposition back fired. No one will fault if convicted politicians are sent to jail. He needs to sack ED and I-T heads immediately for misleading him. 4. BJP official spokespersons on TV debates are very crass, abrasive and arrogant. They need to be replaced by sober people like Shahi who came on Mojo channel 5. Modi totally ignored grass root workers of BJP and RSS and alienated them by giving tickets to turncoats. 6. BJP was very aggressive in Maharashtra while splitting the opposition parties. 7. BJP could not rebut the constitution change remark successfully and 400+ call did not help. 8. Modi and Shah tried to cut the senior leaders like Yogi to size and it backfired in UP. 9. Shah needs to be more humble and help BJP supporters in their mundane issues instead of being arrogant with them. 10. Top brass of BJP needs to shed arrogance. I am reiterating this because this is one singular reason for BJP’s loss in 2024.
Bharat
Prediction proves 100 % correct
We said this on May 25, 2024 (+BJP 290-293) where as 12-14 national media houses exit poll failed as well country’s leading political analysts & strategist predictions came wrong ! Our intuitive analysts prediction proved 100 % correct for Indian Lok sabha elections 2024!
Vivek Dhawan

Whatever may be the outcome of this general election this time both alliances are confident of victory. Prashant Kishore views on elections, Congress and Modi led BJP since 2014 elections is still relevant though in mid of election his same views were seen as unwarranted and setting a narrative and that too in front of a formidable anchor like Karan Thapar. However It will be a great miracle if India alliance makes it as it had no National leaders to challenge a highly experienced, decisive world leader like Modi and the lead partner in the India alliance the Congress is at its lowest strike rate and morale with original Congress man having joined BJP in large numbers with its party president office being remotely controlled by Rahul Gandhi and Ms Priyanka Gandhi and their team mostly imports from collapsed communist outfits and defunct organization secretary office who have collectively wiped out original Congress image among voters. Its success is now solely dependent on regional and caste based party's cooperation and performance. On the other hand the confidence of Modi and NDA is clearly visible as in entire election like a highly experienced fighter pilot Modi had been throwing decoy flares like Mahatma Gandhi, mangalsutra, sent by God etc for opposition and its media supporters to target their missiles on these flares only without touching Modi party's cadre strength and sense of continuity among voters on the basis of great infrastructure development ,welfare measures reaching directly to the beneficiaries and this huge beneficiary section will be the Main voters who may bring Modi back to power plus the middle class who wants market stability and those who saw historical promises being fulfilled. This columnist had long ago in one article here had mentioned that opposition had lost its plot in 2024 and may loose again in 2029 if the leading party Congress doesn't put its house in order and should be seen as a party interested in power to serve the nation.
S K Saboo