Whispers Forum

I agree with views expressed by Vijay Kumar on land grabbing in Bihar by goons and the government is a moot spectators. I must add in India there should be uniform laws on Land, Water, Gas, Electricity, tax social security. All these subjects must come under the Centre for making laws, State should only execute & implement, so that each state has similar laws. Taxes should be two tier one central, two state, both tiers of taxes must be equal too. No exception, no ifs and buts, no exemption too to any except local diplomats.
Harish Kumar

Multiple RTI applications were filed seeking information about Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (59 of 1960) and related data. He submitted that there is no coordination among AWBI, APEDA, FSSAI, CPCB, and Police, because the halal process of slaughtering without stunning, is very cruel, violating IPC 47, 120-B, 188, 268, 289, 428, 429, read with section 3 of the Prevention of Cruelty Act, 1960, and article 51 A(g) of the Indian Constitution. The CPIO replied that the Animal Welfare Board of India has not received any fine amount from any States/UTs as per the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Application of fines) Rules. 1965 during the last three years. Hence, no information is available with the Board. The CIC observed that the instant matter is a mere extension of the earlier cases filed by the Complainant on the same grievance regarding ill treatment/ alleged cruelty committed on the animals which cannot be redressed under the mandate of RTI Act. Thus, no action is warranted with respect to the replies of the CPIOs’. The Appellant/Complainant was advised to desist from filing repetitive RTI Applications on the same grievance as his future appeals/complaint on the same matter are liable to be summarily dismissed.
Comments
Many public spirited individuals tend to ignore the definition of “Information” as per section 2(f) of the RTI Act and as such, it only burdens the system with multiple RTI applications with no benefit. In some situations, proper drafting of the RTI Application may elicit a response.
Citation: Naresh Kadyan v. Animal Welfare Board of India, Food Products Export Development Authority, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, CIC/AWBIC/C/2022/646924, +/650976, +/662035, +/664500, +/652694, +/652661, +/662113, +/662114; Date of Decision: 21/07/2023
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

Recall the ' Sahitya Akademi's awards waapsi controversy, created by 39 writers in 2015, on the ground of the 'Akademi keeping its lips sealed when the writers' purported " freedom of expression was under attack ".The matter had ever since been under examination by the Parliamentary standing committee of Min of Culture, whose recommendations were recently submitted to Parliament. The report, if implemented, will add salt to writers' injuries.
The Parliamentary panel has recommended the Akademi to get prior undertaking from the shortlisted candidates that they would never return the awards, in future. This would be absurd and would hurt the writers' sensibilities and sensitivities. The awards are intellectual and cannot be treated like land deals or agreements.
It may be noteworthy that the works are judged by a body of independent, eminent persons belonging to all Indian regional languages and English from out of several nominations and entries received by it. The supreme decision maker is a 99-member general council consisting of writers, academicians and apolitical representatives and other literary role models from across the country. The Akademi awards are not State-sponsored honours. These are different from Padma awards bestowed by the Government of India, which, more often than not, are considered discretionary (political)
In view of the above circumstances, accepting recommendation of the Parliamentary Standing committee of the union Min of Culture for getting prior concurrence of the potential recipients, would amount to adding insults to injuries of our compatriots - writers, scholars and literary role models—who have selected their works for awards.
How could the writers be asked to compromise their self-esteem? The candidates should be judged on merits of their works rather than ideological affiliations and liabilities.
Let the law makers take the call and save Indian writers from such indignities.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

The problem is that in the race to achieve the glory that probably comes with joining the IITs, parents are not thinking of whether their children will be able to cope up with the academic rigour that the IITs have. Students who are ill equipped to join the IITs will tend to not do well once they join there. While this could be so in any group of students, it could possibly be somewhat more in the students who have been given the benefit of quotas to join IITs. The solution to this issue could probably lie in allowing flexibility to the students to change their streams by opting for less competitive streams at IITs if they are unable to cope in the more competitive streams, or allow transfer to other IITs with less rigorous approach without losing academic years, or allow students to choose to have less academic load every semester and have course work spread through holidays or an extra year even before they have started their coursework. Another solution could be to give some credit through coursework in the fields of sports or leadership or co curricular or extracurricular activities in the grade sheet by allowing students from the very first semester to choose some electives of this nature, if they so desire, which could allow them to achieve a better CGPA on their grade sheet. Students might also be given the flexibility to opt for degrees other than engineering which the IITs confer if they find themselves unable to cope with the academic work load in the degrees they have enrolled for. Some other ways to reduce the ill effects of this phenomenon could be to allow students the flexibility to opt for lateral shift to other central universities based on their performance in the JEE advanced without loss of academic years. One way to reduce loneliness and the sense of helplessness that comes when students are unable to cope with academic rigour could come through some credit given in grade sheets through courses designed to help others. For example, a student whose grades are poor might be allowed to take an elective course with a built-in component of social service like teaching in government schools as guest faculty or working as interns in government schemes for the poor. This will allow students to build their self esteem through helping others and also bolster their grade sheets at the same time. More focus on competitive sports, recreational activities and clubs and cultural events could also be a solution to this problem. Socio cultural organizations with nation building at the core of their activities could be allowed on the campuses also. Guest lectures on Indian philosophy, religion and culture could also be increased manifold.
Vijay Kumar

Request for inspection of personal file of Prof. Saba Beg was rejected under section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act holding it as third-party information. The CIC observed that no larger public interest has been invoked by the Appellant. The CIC referred to Supreme Court judgment in the case of Central Public Information Officer, Supreme Court of India Vs. Subhash Chandra Agarwal in CA No. 10044/2010, 10045/2010 and 2683/2010 and upheld the denial of information.
Comments
In the aforementioned case, the Hon’ble Supreme Court has categorized a variety of aspects that comes under the purview of “personal information” which are exempt from disclosure under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. The personal records, including name, address, physical, mental and psychological status, marks obtained, grades and answer sheets, are all treated as personal information. Similarly, professional records, including qualification, performance, evaluation reports, ACRs, disciplinary proceedings, etc. are all personal information. Medical records, treatment, choice of medicine, list of hospitals and doctors visited, findings recorded, including that of the family members, information relating to assets, liabilities, income tax returns, details of investments, lending and borrowing, etc. are personal information. Such personal information is entitled to protection from unwarranted invasion of privacy and conditional access is available when stipulation of larger public interest is satisfied.
Citation: Prof. Riyazuddeen v. Aligarh Muslim University, CIC/ALMUV/A/2022/668536; Date of Decision: 30.06.2023
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

Elections are due in many states and after a few months and in May 2024 the Lok Sabha elections are due. The tenure of a government is 5 years. But the focus of political parties during the last over one-and-half year of their tenure is on how to win elections. Political leaders spend all their energy on preparing poll strategies, holding public meetings etc. During this the atmosphere is repeatedly spoiled as leaders of rival parties target each other. Thus in effect governments waste the last 18-20 months of their tenure in this way.
Ashish Singh

It is time for us to start calling India by its real name, Bharat. Bharat is the real name of India and is the translation of the ancient name, Aryavarta. The name Bharat has been used for India since ancient times. It is time to close the gap between the two names, India and Bharat, and just call our country Bharat.
Nidhi Jain
Female employees can include parents-in-law for availing CGHS benefits
Wrong message...Please go through the OM..It has been allowed for MALE government employees for the first time. Female employees have been enjoying this facility since years.
Swarnendu Singha

The persistent request by the govt to extend the tenure of a high ranking officer in Delhi reminded me of an incident in MP when there was a repeated request to extend the tenure of an Under Secretary in Finance. The then CM wrote on the file:"Iswar na kare ye vyakti kal na rahe". The file did not come back.
B K Saha former Chief Secretary MP
4 officers likely to be promoted as Addl Secretary
The IIS is Indian Information Service and ISS is Indian Statistics Service and NOT what you have mentioned it is not Indian Inspection Service or Indian Supply Service
Ravi Pipal