Whispers Forum

A very peculiar thing in India is that the entrance examinations after class 12th do not examine candidates on what they have been taught. Examinations are pitched at a level of difficulty which is far higher than what the Class 12th student is taught. This creates an uneven playing field because then, those who have the benefit of coaching and tuitions are better off than those who do not. This is sought to be neutralised by candidates by going in for coaching and tuition so almost all students undergo coaching and tuition. This helps only the coaching institutes and tutors.
Vijay Kumar

It is worrisome that in a country of population of 140 crores, approx. 8.1 crores people file income tax returns and less than 4% people pay income tax in real terms. This needs to be analysed. This may be due to fear in the minds of people filing ITR. Fear may be due to excessive regulations, notices, penalties and complicated ITR forms. Earlier, Sahaj Form used to be 2 pages, but now it is more than 20 pages. Even simple dividend income in a year of Rs. 100/ has to be shown in five divided parts of the year. Will dividing it make more than Rs.100/-? Such complications are not user friendly and to be seen in right perspective. All regulations are only for the people who are paying tax and have to face various queries from IT department. The people dealing in cash are not in any financial system and take advantage of earnings. There is a large amount of tax revenue leakage. This may be minimized by restricting cash transactions. There is excess cash in circulations which should be cut. Banning cash transaction more than Rs. 10,000/-. It means any transaction more than Rs.10,000/- has to be in electronic/digital. This will not only reduce tax leakage but also limit the activities which are not permitted by law. It will also reduce the cash which is being seized. We have nearly 18 crores Dmat accounts (both CDSL and NSDL) but only approx. 8.1 crores people filing ITRs. This may also be seen, how to increase the number of tax filers for increasing tax revenue. Cash looks to be one of the main reasons for avoiding paying income tax as they do not come under any tax net. Finance Minister may like to consider the above points for increasing tax revenue and a tax payers friendly environment. We have to reduce the trust deficit between tax administration and tax payers. With regards
Naveen

This order is strange in many ways - technically, it may not be proper as it is beyond the powers of the CIC to venture into any area other than "information" and hence, asking an authority to examine whether an order given by the junior officers was correct appears unusual. However, it is a sort of "justice" based on the limited facts presented on the site. A person trying to misuse the provisions of RTI Act has been shown the mirror. Overall, a really different manner of deciding the case has been employed by the CIC.
Sudipt Bandhopadhyaya

The appellant sought to know from the Office of the Divisional Railway Manager, North Western Railway whether the Assistant Divisional Engineer is competent to authorize the termination of service of a Trackman and other information. Respondent prayed the CIC to grant him time to file written submission enumerating the facts of this case in detail to facilitate due assistance to the bench in disposal of this appeal. The CIC severely admonished the conduct of the Respondent as he did not bother to file written submission despite praying for the same through his representative before the bench. The CIC observed that the Appellant is agitating a matter in which he has already been given a relief by issuing a favourable order despite having indulged in bigamy. The CIC deemed it fit to refer the matter to DRM, North Western Railway to take note of the aberration in the form of lenient view being taken by subordinate officers in such a serious matter as bigamy.
Comments
It is a case where the RTI appeal has taken a spin, or rather a googly. Instead of providing any information, the case may turn into an examination of what the junior officers decided in the case of bigamy.
Citation: Ved Prakash Meena v. Office the Divisional Railway Manager, North Western Railway, CIC/NWRLY/A/2023/139716; Date of Decision : 06.03.2025
Dr Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is a RTI Consultant currently working with IIM Vishakhapatnam. She has co-authored the books PIO’s Guide to RTI and Right to Information – Law and Practice. Her weekly article is being published since 2008 on this site. She offers consultancy on RTI matters and third party audit to individuals / organisations. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation at the link https://www.rtifoundationofindia.com

Mirror to reality for the first time in India, that is Bharat, a mirror has been shown to the reality: vegetarian buffet @500. The politicians shout the loudest propagating a veg thali @ 5 and another 14. Today, even one roti can’t be bought for 5/14 rupee. Should it cost so much? The mishandling of vegetable, grain, dal edible oil, salt (the single weapon which destroyed the British Empire) prices have robbed the daily wage earner of a nutritious veg thali. In economic terms, it is 800 a day (rich by the PC criterion of 14 in rural and 28 in urban)! For the new avatar feudal “Lords of Poverty” it matters little: most lunches/dinners are thrown by the ministry concerned and it is a routine affair. No grudges, no grievances, no complaints- everybody needs to eat. People can wait till jobs reach the ”satisfaction” level.
M L Gupta