Whispers Forum

It is not uncommon to see that the orders of the Information Commission - both State and Centre - are not implemented. The appellant is left to run from pillar to post to get the order implemented. The CIC or SIC seem to care very little and their approach leaves much to be desired. Most have the retired bureaucrats at the helm of the affairs and hence, their approach is understandable. The Information Commission hardly imposes a penalty even when they categorically mention in their order that the PIO had not provided information timely. The Information Commission must be made independent if the RTI Act has to survive and flourish.
Bhoomi Hatyar

In response to an application seeking certain information, the RTI applicant was provided opportunity to attend the personal hearing on two occasions to make the CPIO / FAA to understand his query, however, the applicant chose not to attend the same on any of the occasions. The Respondent stated that the relevant information has been already furnished to the Appellant from their official record. He stated that the Appellant was working as a JSO in MoSPI and he has been absconding since April 2023 and has failed to join office despite various communications and reminder letter sent to him in this regard. He offered inspection of record to the Appellant. The CIC directed the PIO to provide an opportunity to the Appellant or his authorised representative, to inspect available and relevant records as sought in the instant RTI Application, on a mutually decided date and time duly intimated to the Appellant telephonically and/or in writing.
Comments
The PIO should not use “an offer of inspection of documents” as a tool to deny information. If the RTI applicant is unable to come personally for inspection or personal hearing, an authorised representative may be deputed to for the same.
Citation: Shri Ankit Demta v. Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, Second Appeal No. CIC/MOSPI/A/2022/666229; Date of Decision: 04.01.2024
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

Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Nyay Yatra' can give better results for Congress and other opposition parties. Rahul raises issues of public interest and speaks very vocally. He speaks very clearly on corruption and is the only opposition leader to do so. However, the electoral success of Bharat Nyay Yatra will depend on the issues raised during it. This yatra will end before the Lok Sabha elections and Rahul will get enough time for campaigning. But the electoral benefit of this yatra will depend on how clearly the issues are raised.
Pawan Kumar

Is this a diplomatic victory for India, one wonders? Thousands of Indian tourists have reportedly called off their holiday trips to the Republic of Maldives amid uproar over derogatory references made by their three ministers against India and our Prime Minister. This is unacceptable. The lesson for Maldives is well deserved as 70 % of its economy is based on tourism sector, a major part of contribution by Indian tourists. The new Maldivian President, who nurses hostility against India, obviously at China's behest, would be well advised to cut short his visit to China , take damage control measures and save his country from economic collapse. It owes millions of US dollars of debt by India. The Maldives owes an unconditional apology to Indian people who have always stood by them in times of crises like the military coup, drinking water shortage, covid etc. Heavy investments have been made by India on creating infrastructures for tapping its tourism potential. Against this background, instead of feeling obliged, the Maldives' misbehaviour with India, is baffling. Ungrateful and unappreciative. Let us stop Indian tourists from visiting that country.It would be a blessing in disguise for us. Let us promote domestic tourism by developing Lakshadweep as a tourist destination. Another important point. The strategic location of the Maldives, cannot be ignored. India must guard against China's "string of pearls" policy by developing good relations with immediate neighbours like Srilanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. Their growing proximity to China is a matter of grave concern.
A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

What Prime Minister Modi thinks and plans today becomes public later after the project is drawn up. Was Modi holidaying in Lakshadweep or musing, assessing and planning something for Bharat as big as QUAD? From Ayodhya to Lakshadweep the project encompasses something bigger than has been thought over in the last 76 years: Bharat as the tourist destination for domestic as well as international tourists in search of spirituality and holidaying in a single trip. The variety of food, shopping experience and beautiful natural scenarios, it offers more than one can demand in a single trip. They will only demand European services, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will ensure they are delivered at a still better quality in comparison at much lower costs. Double benefit? Who would not like to avail of it?
M L Gupta

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