आर टी आई दम तोड़ने के कगार पर
आर टी आई एक्ट की कोई सुध बुध नहीं
चीफ इन्फोर्मेसन कमिश्नर की भर्ती लम्बे समय से लटकी है
अगर आपको 30 दिन में जवाब नहीं मिलता और उसके बाद आप सी आई सी में कम्प्लेंट दर्ज करते हैं या फिर द्वितीय अपील दाखिल करते हैं तो
उसके बाद आपको जवाब का इतंजार के लिए साल , दो साल भी लग सकते हैं ।
दिनों दिन आर टी आई एक्ट कमजोर होता जा रहा है ,
कभी कोर्ट सूचना मांगने का कारण बताने को कह रही हैं , तो कभी नागरिकता प्रमाण पत्र के लिए फोटो आई डी देने की देने की बात कहती हैं
ये सब होने के बाद सूचना अधिकारी द्वारा सूचना न देने के बहाने भी बाद गए हैं , मसलन कारण सही नहीं है इत्यादि
जब अन्ना , केजरीवाल का आंदोलन चल रहा था , तब केंद्रीय सूचना आयोग भी ऐतिहासिक फैसले दे रहा था - चाहे वो कोयला घोटाले की फाइलों की सूचना हो या फिर सिविल सर्वेंट की गोपनीय रिपोर्ट को सार्वजानिक करने के फैसले हों
आम आदमी फिर कमजोर हो रहा है
अब तक आर टी आई द्वारा सूचना लेने के दौरान सबसे बेहतरीन और ऐतिहासिक फैसले - सूचना आयुक्त शैलेश गांधी ने दिए थे ।
और आर टी आई द्वारा सूचना देने लेने में क्रांतिकारी परिवर्तन आ गया था ।
शैलेश गांधी के ऐतिहासिक फैसलों में एक था - किसी भी अधिकारी की गोपनीय रिपोर्ट कोई भी आम नागरिक मांग सकता है और जान सकता की
किन कारणों से किसी का प्रमोशन हो रहा है और किन कारणों से नहीं
उनका कहना था ए सी आर का फंडा ब्रिटिश राज की देन था जिसमे देश के कर्मचारी ब्रिटिश राज के लिए काम करते थे , लेकिन अब देश के कर्मचारियों की असली मालिक देश की जनता है , और जनता को जानने का हक़ है की अधिकारी / कर्मचारियों की गोपनीय रिपोर्ट में क्या दर्ज है और उनका मूल्याङ्कन कैसे हो रहा है । कैसे ईमानदार होनहार कर्मचारी आगे बढ़ने से पिछड़ जाता है और कैसे बेईमान व् भ्रस्ट अधिकारी अपने राजनीतिक आकाओं की चापलूसी कर तरक्की पा जाता है
शैलेश गांधी 2 -3 साल पहले ही सूचना आयुक्त पद से कार्य मुक्त हो चुके हैं
इसके बाद हाई कोर्ट ने निजता का हवाला देकर सरकारी कर्मचारियों की गोपनीय रिपोर्ट को आम नागरिक को देने से मन दिया
See News :-
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/141014/nation-current-affairs/article/delay-disposing-rti-cases-activists-complain
http://www.hindustantimes.com/comment/analysis/the-right-to-information-law-is-dying-a-slow-death/article1-1278302.aspx
Aur Bhee Bahut Saare Source Yahee Bata Rahe Hain -
The first and the foremost reason is the pernicious influence of some activists on the system. They are consciously deluging RTI functionaries with applications, reminders, appeals, submissions and request for compliance. Consequently, the functionaries are spending a disproportionate amount of time on sending letters after letters since the law does not have provisions for res judicata (a case in which there has been a final judgment and is no longer subject to appeal) without releasing much of information.
Second, the growing number of pendency of appeal/complaints before the Central Information Commission (CIC) is another area of concern. Official estimates indicate that there is a 68% rise of pendency of cases in September 2014 vis a vis September 2013. In some cases, information seekers are being forced to wait for a decision for about 12-15 months. Moreover, the CIC has been functioning without a Chief Information Commissioner since last August.
Third, the lackadaisical attitude regarding the disclosure of suo moto information by the public institutions also goes against the spirit of the RTI law. In April, 2013, the central government had directed public authorities to get their suo moto disclosure audited by a third party within six months and submit a compliance report to the department of personnel and training and the CIC. But to date no such audits have been done.
Fifth, the Madras High Court recently said RTI applicants must give reasons for seeking information. However, the law itself does not require specifying any reasons. If the information seeker has to give reasons, it is pretty likely that RTI applications would be opposed by the public institutions.
I am a short-term pessimist and a long-term optimist for the future of RTI in India. But the way things are going, I think this wonderful law could soon become another archaic one in a very short span of time.
Pankaj K P Shreyaskar is a civil servant.
The views expressed by the author are personal
******************************************
Bengaluru: Activists against corruption and Right To Information (RTI) are staging a protest in front of the Town Hall on October 15, citing the dismal performance of the Karnataka Information Commission, particularly its chief A.K.M. Naik.
As per the RTI Act, the applicant should be provided with necessary details for queries within 30 days. If not, an RTI applicant is eligible to approach the KIC under Section 18 of the Act with a complaint and under Section 19(3) of the Act through Second Appeal under Section 19(1) of RTI Act 2005 for justice, said RTI activist B.H. Veeresh.
“It is highly regrettable that complaints or appeals filed before the KIC is being taken up for first hearing after a period of eight months to one year, depending on the Information Commissioner. This is against the letter and spirit of RTI Act 2005 and defeats its purpose. The Act was passed by Parliament to bring in public probity and to curb corruption at all levels,” he said.
The commissioners are following their own procedures for hearing the complaints and to adjourn cases to the next date of hearing. The period of adjournments vary from one month to six months depending on the Information Commissioner. This attitude is hurting the RTI activism in the state, he said.
This is grave injustice both to the RTI Act and RTI applicants. There is enormous delay in receiving orders as they are being sent to parties only after two to three months by some commissioners. At least 12,000 cases are pending before the KIC and the number of complaints filed is more than those disposed of, he said.
No uniformity is maintained in hearing cases in a particular day. Although Saturday is a working day, no cases are heard by the commissioners on that day, he said.
Recently, the Central Information Commission fixed a target of 3200 cases to be disposed of by a commissioner per year.
आर टी आई एक्ट की कोई सुध बुध नहीं
चीफ इन्फोर्मेसन कमिश्नर की भर्ती लम्बे समय से लटकी है
अगर आपको 30 दिन में जवाब नहीं मिलता और उसके बाद आप सी आई सी में कम्प्लेंट दर्ज करते हैं या फिर द्वितीय अपील दाखिल करते हैं तो
उसके बाद आपको जवाब का इतंजार के लिए साल , दो साल भी लग सकते हैं ।
दिनों दिन आर टी आई एक्ट कमजोर होता जा रहा है ,
कभी कोर्ट सूचना मांगने का कारण बताने को कह रही हैं , तो कभी नागरिकता प्रमाण पत्र के लिए फोटो आई डी देने की देने की बात कहती हैं
ये सब होने के बाद सूचना अधिकारी द्वारा सूचना न देने के बहाने भी बाद गए हैं , मसलन कारण सही नहीं है इत्यादि
जब अन्ना , केजरीवाल का आंदोलन चल रहा था , तब केंद्रीय सूचना आयोग भी ऐतिहासिक फैसले दे रहा था - चाहे वो कोयला घोटाले की फाइलों की सूचना हो या फिर सिविल सर्वेंट की गोपनीय रिपोर्ट को सार्वजानिक करने के फैसले हों
आम आदमी फिर कमजोर हो रहा है
अब तक आर टी आई द्वारा सूचना लेने के दौरान सबसे बेहतरीन और ऐतिहासिक फैसले - सूचना आयुक्त शैलेश गांधी ने दिए थे ।
और आर टी आई द्वारा सूचना देने लेने में क्रांतिकारी परिवर्तन आ गया था ।
शैलेश गांधी के ऐतिहासिक फैसलों में एक था - किसी भी अधिकारी की गोपनीय रिपोर्ट कोई भी आम नागरिक मांग सकता है और जान सकता की
किन कारणों से किसी का प्रमोशन हो रहा है और किन कारणों से नहीं
उनका कहना था ए सी आर का फंडा ब्रिटिश राज की देन था जिसमे देश के कर्मचारी ब्रिटिश राज के लिए काम करते थे , लेकिन अब देश के कर्मचारियों की असली मालिक देश की जनता है , और जनता को जानने का हक़ है की अधिकारी / कर्मचारियों की गोपनीय रिपोर्ट में क्या दर्ज है और उनका मूल्याङ्कन कैसे हो रहा है । कैसे ईमानदार होनहार कर्मचारी आगे बढ़ने से पिछड़ जाता है और कैसे बेईमान व् भ्रस्ट अधिकारी अपने राजनीतिक आकाओं की चापलूसी कर तरक्की पा जाता है
शैलेश गांधी 2 -3 साल पहले ही सूचना आयुक्त पद से कार्य मुक्त हो चुके हैं
इसके बाद हाई कोर्ट ने निजता का हवाला देकर सरकारी कर्मचारियों की गोपनीय रिपोर्ट को आम नागरिक को देने से मन दिया
See News :-
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/141014/nation-current-affairs/article/delay-disposing-rti-cases-activists-complain
http://www.hindustantimes.com/comment/analysis/the-right-to-information-law-is-dying-a-slow-death/article1-1278302.aspx
Aur Bhee Bahut Saare Source Yahee Bata Rahe Hain -
The first and the foremost reason is the pernicious influence of some activists on the system. They are consciously deluging RTI functionaries with applications, reminders, appeals, submissions and request for compliance. Consequently, the functionaries are spending a disproportionate amount of time on sending letters after letters since the law does not have provisions for res judicata (a case in which there has been a final judgment and is no longer subject to appeal) without releasing much of information.
Second, the growing number of pendency of appeal/complaints before the Central Information Commission (CIC) is another area of concern. Official estimates indicate that there is a 68% rise of pendency of cases in September 2014 vis a vis September 2013. In some cases, information seekers are being forced to wait for a decision for about 12-15 months. Moreover, the CIC has been functioning without a Chief Information Commissioner since last August.
Third, the lackadaisical attitude regarding the disclosure of suo moto information by the public institutions also goes against the spirit of the RTI law. In April, 2013, the central government had directed public authorities to get their suo moto disclosure audited by a third party within six months and submit a compliance report to the department of personnel and training and the CIC. But to date no such audits have been done.
Fifth, the Madras High Court recently said RTI applicants must give reasons for seeking information. However, the law itself does not require specifying any reasons. If the information seeker has to give reasons, it is pretty likely that RTI applications would be opposed by the public institutions.
I am a short-term pessimist and a long-term optimist for the future of RTI in India. But the way things are going, I think this wonderful law could soon become another archaic one in a very short span of time.
Pankaj K P Shreyaskar is a civil servant.
The views expressed by the author are personal
******************************************
Delay in disposing of RTI cases: Activists complain
DC | CHANDRASHEKAR G. | October 14, 2014, 06.10 am ISTBengaluru: Activists against corruption and Right To Information (RTI) are staging a protest in front of the Town Hall on October 15, citing the dismal performance of the Karnataka Information Commission, particularly its chief A.K.M. Naik.
As per the RTI Act, the applicant should be provided with necessary details for queries within 30 days. If not, an RTI applicant is eligible to approach the KIC under Section 18 of the Act with a complaint and under Section 19(3) of the Act through Second Appeal under Section 19(1) of RTI Act 2005 for justice, said RTI activist B.H. Veeresh.
“It is highly regrettable that complaints or appeals filed before the KIC is being taken up for first hearing after a period of eight months to one year, depending on the Information Commissioner. This is against the letter and spirit of RTI Act 2005 and defeats its purpose. The Act was passed by Parliament to bring in public probity and to curb corruption at all levels,” he said.
The commissioners are following their own procedures for hearing the complaints and to adjourn cases to the next date of hearing. The period of adjournments vary from one month to six months depending on the Information Commissioner. This attitude is hurting the RTI activism in the state, he said.
This is grave injustice both to the RTI Act and RTI applicants. There is enormous delay in receiving orders as they are being sent to parties only after two to three months by some commissioners. At least 12,000 cases are pending before the KIC and the number of complaints filed is more than those disposed of, he said.
No uniformity is maintained in hearing cases in a particular day. Although Saturday is a working day, no cases are heard by the commissioners on that day, he said.
Recently, the Central Information Commission fixed a target of 3200 cases to be disposed of by a commissioner per year.
