Locking up information: Crippling the RTI Act
The NDA looks serious about its legislative business: almost a dozen bills were presented and passed in Parliament in the current sitting; and many of them have important consequences. The only restriction on this right must be in line with the reasonable restrictions permitted under Article 19 which may be in the ‘interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence.’ These are covered by Section 8 and 9 of the RTI Act and no other information can be denied to the ruled, nor can any reasons have to be given for seeking information. When government officials deny information, without the sanction of the law, citizens can approach the Information Commission which is the final appellate authority. The first draft of the RTI Act was presented to Parliament in December 2004 and had proposed the creation of In formation Commissions as final adjudicators to safeguard the citizen’s Right To Information. For this, it is necessary to elevate their status to that of the Election Commission of India.” Thus the issue of status and salaries of the Information Commissioners was discussed extensively by the Parliamentary Committee which had six members from the BJP including our present President Shri Ram Nath Kovind.
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