Whispers Forum

There is going to be a discussion on seat sharing between Congress and Aam Aadmi Party shortly. It is noteworthy that talks are to be held between Congress and Aam Aadmi Party mainly on seat sharing in Delhi and Punjab. Whereas some political analysts believe that apart from these two states, a package can be discussed by including some other states including Gujarat and Haryana. On the other hand, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that he does not know whether there will be a chance to vote after 2024 or not. It remains to be seen if seat sharing will make any progress or not as seat sharing agreement is not easy.
Arjun Kumar

The appellant sought for a certified legible copy of the “Show cause” explantion submitted in the Commission by the concerned CPIO of Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) in compliance with the directions of the Information Commission. The CIC observed that the Appellant is seeking certified copy of such record which was merely a compliance correspondence between the Respondent and the Information Commission. The CIC observed that the DPCC is under no mandate to provide such correspondence to the Appellant. The CIC counselled the Appellant that in case he has not received the relevant information from the DPCC in compliance to some directions passed by the Information Commission, the Appellant has right to file a non-compliance complaint in the Information Commission as per the practice rather than filing fresh RTI Application.
Comments
Many appellants tend to file another RTI application to know the fate of the implementation of the CIC order rather than exercising the right to file a non-compliance complaint in the Information Commission. The proper way would be to bring the non-compliance to the notice
Citation: Rameshwar Lal Sharma v. Department of Posts, CIC/POSTS/A/2022/159587; Date of Decision: 14.12.2023
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

Tensions have emerged within I.N.D.I.A. Alliance as Congress and Trinamool clash over Lok Sabha Seat Sharing in West Bengal. Alliance faces internal strife as its prominent allies, the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, engage in a heated dispute over the allocation of seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal. The dispute over seat sharing has intensified, with reports suggesting that the TMC is inclined to offer only two seats. This proposition is unacceptable to the Congress Bengal unit. If Alliance partners spar like this over seat sharing the coalition is doomed and nothing will come out of this lengthy exercise.
Ritika Kumari

Many people have expressed their opinion about some part of a couplet or the other in the Ramcharitmanas, an epic, by Goswami Tulsidas. Regrettably none of the people is an authority on the epic or Hindi Literature or even The Shri Ramcharitmanas. There is no need for anybody to rise in defence of the couplet/epic or the poet because one can say nothing more than what the poet himself has written, which I quote hereunder: “Bahuri vandi khal satbhaye, je binu kaaj dhahineyu banye Par hit haani labh jin kere, ujre harash vishad baserein Sam prakas tam pakh duhu naam bhed vidhi keen Sasi sosak posak samujhi jag jas apjas deen Khal parihaas hoi hit mora… Samujhi bibidh bidhi binati mori, kou naa kathaa suni dehai khori Aitehu par je karihanhi asankaa,mohi te adhik te jad mati ranka” There are 33 couplet wherein the epic poet has prayed to the khal or evil minds. The word ‘khal’ may be noted; it is neither caste nor varna indicator, but ‘class’ only. While praying to the Gods and Goddesses (positive energy in the cosmos), the poet has also prayed to the khal (manifestation of evil or negative energy). It is a long prayer to the evil, running through 33 couplets, before starting the epic itself!
M L Gupta

Certain information was provided to the appellant who submitted before the CIC that incomplete information has been provided and the documents should be certified. The CIC observed that the PIO and FAA have erred in providing the information related to the third party especially in the absence of any larger public interest without even following the process laid down under section 11 of the RTI Act. The CIC held that insistence of the Appellant to certify the documents which were already provided to him in the manner desired by him or any further disclosure with respect to the third party’s service matter to be a grossly unwarranted prayer. The CIC advised the PIO and FAA to acquaint themselves well with the provisions of the RTI Act to ensure appropriate disposal of RTI matters in the future.
Comments
Section 11 of the RTI Act provides for seeking the comments of the third parties if the CPIO intends to disclose their personal information which must be followed strictly. The PIOs/FAAs must learn the nuances of the RTI Act so as to avoid such blunders. This series of weekly articles is an attempt to help everyone in this endeavour.
Citation: Rameshwar Lal Sharma v. Department of Posts, CIC/POSTS/A/2022/159587; Date of Decision: 14.12.2023
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