Whispers Forum

Certified copy a report of fact finding committee constituted by the UGC, chaired by Mrs. Mamta Aggarwal, the then Joint Secretary, UGC, New Delhi and its supporting documents, were not provided and it was submitted that it is not available with the office of UGC, New Delhi. The CIC remarked that Fact finding Committee’s Report which has duly been produced before Hon’ble Supreme Court, is supposed to be available with the UGC, to which it was submitted that an effort would be made to locate the desired report, but there is another possibility of it being weeded out. The CIC observed that no information with respect to the instant RTI Application has been provided to the Appellant. The CIC further observed that the replies furnished by the UGC were inadequate, misleading and blithe, that too with inordinate delay. The CIC took grave exception for the cavalier and irresponsible conduct of the UGC and strictly admonishes them for the same. The CIC sternly cautioned the UGC that in future, they shall ensure that replies to the RTI Applications shall be provided with mindful approach and within a stipulated time-frame as specified in the provisions of the RTI Act. The CIC admonishes the UGC for poor management of the official records and cautioned them to remain careful in future. The CIC directed to make effort to search their records in a prudent manner to locate the report and provide the same along to the Appellant. The CIC directed to provide the record retention schedule and copy of the weeding out report to the Appellant with a copy marked to the CIC, in case the said Report has been weeded out.
Comments
In case of any claim of records being weeded out, the copy of destruction memo must be produced. This is one case where the CIC has admonished the public authority but has not preferred to invoke any penal provisions.
Citation: Rajesh Gill v. University Grants Commission in Second Appeal No. CIC/UGCOM/A/2021/111603, Date of Decision: 22.07.2022
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. Apart from her weekly article here, her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link: www.rtifoundationofindia.com

Crime is increasing all over the country. It is high time that the administration is toned up.
Vijay Kumar
Rahul no match with corruption crusader JP
A K Saxena, I agree with your views that Rahul Gandhi is no match to the corruption crusader JP. But you will also have to accept the fact that the two important corruption crusaders of the country namely JP and Anna Hazare left behind legacies to two people namely Lalu Yadav (chara ghotala) and Arvind Kejriwal (liquor policy ghotala) respectively.
Anurag Srivastava
No problem with African cheetahs as long as they thrive
I have no problem with African cheetahs as long as they thrive. Crores must have been spent to give our leader the opportunity to get cheetahs out of his hat and into the wild. Tax payers' money should be generously spent on education, particularly, girls' education. The figures of available teachers v/s sanctioned posts (not including those recruited by the WB School Service Board) is appalling.
B K Saha

While government of India, under the tutelage of our honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is making all efforts to put the image of the country at zenith position globally and many new initiatives are taken however this sounds ridiculous and unassimilated that in the past, in this dispensation, many times good positions including the present secretary Defence production is jointly held by the Defence Secretary as this has also happened with many other departments. Post of Secretary ex servicemen is just filled after many months void. This gives two conclusions, whether the department, jointly held by one person does not have much importance and is in fructuous or having a very menial job which can be handled jointly by one person only. in that case should be withdrawn secondly ,it really makes one to ponder as to whether Govt Of India is deficient of good officers, as otherwise many IAS from 88 batch to 1991 who are empanelled as Secretary Govt Of India are eagerly and rightfully waiting to be posted as secretary Govt Of India (dream of every IAS to become Secretary GOI when he enters the IAS) besides the fact, govt does not find suitable candidates who until recently being empanelled and must have gone rigmarole of 360 degree and many clearances including CVC, IB These episodes have become quite frequent even in PSU ,like GOI could not find suitable candidate for Chairman ONGC and many names cleared by PESB are not notified by ACC . These lackadaisical approaches on the part of Govt of India compels common public to think otherwise. We have full faith in Govt.
Mahendra Goel

The applicant sought the name of CPIO and FAA of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The CPIO/Director (NI) replied that he is the CPIO in respect of Ayodhya section of JKL division of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It was further mentioned that the Trust has been constituted by the Government of India as per the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court given in the judgment dated 09.11.2019 in CA No 10866-67 of 2010 vide notification dated 05.05.2020. The said trust is an autonomous organisation /body. The CIC held that the reply of the PIO is not in consonance with the provisions of the RTI Act because though information sought by the Applicant has not been provided to him, none of the provisions of the RTI Act have been cited for the tacit denial. The reply sent by the PIO was found untenable in law. The CIC directed Shri Harish Kumar Wadhwa, CPIO and Dy Secretary, Arms and NI/ Ayodhya, Ministry of Home Affairs to re-examine the RTI application and provide a revised point wise response strictly in accordance with the provisions of the RTI Act to the Applicant within three weeks. The CIC made it clear that non-compliance of these directions shall attract penal action, as per law.
Comments
The Delhi High Court in the case of National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. v. CIC & Ors. has held that a private company upon its incorporation or registration does not become an authority or institution of self-government as defined under section 2(h) of the RTI Act, but by a subsequent enactment or order/notification issued can become an authority or institution of self-government. The words ‘established' or ‘constituted' have to be read in a manner so as to effectuate the legislative intent in Section 2(h) of the RTI Act.
Citation: Shri Neeraj Sharma v. Ministry of Home Affairs and Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Second Appeal No. CIC/MHOME/C/2021/606547 CIC/MHOME/A/2021/609248 CIC/MHOME/C/2021/612823 CIC/MHOME/A/2021/625152, Date of Decision: 08.07.2022
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. Apart from her weekly article here, her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link: www.rtifoundationofindia.com

I don’t understand that why a Senior Bureaucrat like Sri R K Srivastava (retd IAS) made a survey between a roaring lion and a sick horse. He should have made a survey between the lion and a strong & healthy horse. As a fan of WIC, I would like to see a Survey between the roaring Lion and a Horse either from outside or within.
Akula
Mastery of Hindi essential
For a successful career in Indian politics, mastery of Hindi language is very useful. Numbers aside, it captures the real ethos of India. Hindi largely touches the Indian ethos, culture, values, ideals, vision and sense of unity. Even aspirants for the highest office in India from other language backgrounds acquire proficiency in Hindi for success. It can be deduced from failures of many non-Hindi speaking background politicians that proficiency in spoken Hindi alone did not help them become party president or Prime Minister. One needs to live India. India means one has to live what one professes. Hindi helps achieve that much for any sincere person. It is no wonder that the ruling dispensation possessing very high proficiency in English has all along been transacting business in English (official and personal too) but never used it for electioneering. It has been Hindi in more than 70% territory and other Indian languages in the rest of India (largely areas so far underserved). It is sinking into the ideology of political parties to resort to more and more use of Hindi for party work and elections. Party leaders of national political parties from non-Hindi speaking areas going for election work and public rallies in Hindi areas use Hindi to garner votes for their candidates. When they use Hindi, their appeal increases due to a new flavour to the language their pronunciation adds naturally. Sometimes a word or a metaphor uttered by them may impress the audiences. Hindi is such a big market that no manufacturer, distributor or seller can afford to ignore. It was 20 years ago that I had predicted the entry of big MNCs in the market using Hindi for reaching out to the consumers and market research. I am happy to see foreign sellers using Hindi, surveys specially conducted for market research to serve consumer taste. Foreign films are now available in Hindi. The point is Hindi has the potential for enormous economic growth, profitable business and vast employment. This potential of Hindi has so far gone unnoticed. It ought not have been. The entire focus has remained on the language aspect, especially around the question whether it can replace English in transaction of official work, education in professional branches like engineering, technology, medicine and law. Had this diffidence been shed with the determination to make it possible to use Hindi with the same felicity we use English for transaction of official work and business, we would not be asking/answering this question. The politics around language apart, no Indian language has been able to develop to that level in the last 75 years. What purpose does such language politics serve? It harms the people generally. It divides the people as the ruling class and the ruled class. English serves that objective. The ruling class corners all the benefits through a single instrument of absolute power of the English language in their hands. It makes the difference between poverty and affluence in our society. It concentrates the national wealth and other assets in the hands of a few who own all political power and control of the economy. Now that harm has been done by such language politics, let us decide to turn the tables on them by making every Indian proficient in English. Those who discourage people from acquiring proficiency in English do so for unlawful gains for self or siblings. English is easier to learn in comparison to Hindi: it has 26 letters in its alphabet in comparison to Hindi which has 52. Our teachers and examinations have made it difficult. Just like mathematics, English has been made difficult and frightening to promote the private coaching industry. High proficiency in English will only strengthen Hindi. Afterwards it will not take more than two years to demolish the myth that Hindi can’t replace English. The process of enrichment of Hindi will only empower it to assimilate knowledge in this information revolution era and digital world. Luckily, Hindi can draw on such a valuable treasure of ideas, expressions and content from Sanskrit and all other Indian languages. It is not because of Article 343 or Part XVII of the Constitution of India or any emotional reason or historic role of Hindi in the Freedom Movement but because it is the right time to give the language its due for economic and developmental vision for the improvement of the conditions of people of India that the need for accelerated development of Hindi is being re-emphasised this Hindi Day 14th September 2022.
M L Gupta

I eagerly look forward to the posts on the whispers in the corridors as you are amongst the first to give a breaking news on bureaucracy. Specifically, Monday is important for the RTI article. The RTI Act had come with a lot of expectations which remain unfulfilled. It is sad to see the gradual decline in the implementation of the RTI Act. The Information Commissioners hardly seem to be fulfilling the role they are expected to play. Even when there is a lapse on the part of the public information officer, they prefer to let him go with just a warning. The RTI Act must be implemented effectively if a significant change is expected. The fear of penalty is necessary if the timelines are to be followed.
Pramod Agrawal
Dignity of retired bureaucrats
This is how retired bureaucrats' dignity is recognized by Modi Govt. What a sad commentary! Seems like India is hurtling towards an unabashedly autocratic regime.
Deepak Gupta