DNA: Mumbai: Monday, February 02, 2015.
In its bid to
serve the citizens better, the State Information Commission (SIC) has sent a
slew of demand to the Devendra Fadnavis government. The demands come in the
backdrop of the meeting the CM had with four information commissioners Ratnakar Gaikwad, A K Jain, T Thekkekakra and D B Deshpande on January 16.
Among the
demands are request for a legal cell and inspection cell at the commission. In
its letter, the SIC states that the legal cell will come handy while handling
complicated cases. "A number of times there are high court orders that are
conflicting. In such cases, we need some guidance and having some legal experts
could help," said Ratnakar Gaikwad who wrote the letter.
The other
demands include filling up vacant posts, particularly that of the information
commissioner of the Amravati bench. The bench as of now has close to 6,000
appeals pending. It also raised questions of "skeletal" staff
strength in each of the benches. Inspection wing at each commission to check
compliance of the panel's orders is also desired.
The letter further
talks of information officers (PIOs) not being fined. Training of PIOs and
first appellate authority and disadvantaged persons is recommended to raise
awareness of the RTI Act. The letter also suggests the government consider
having the implementation of the Public Records Act and Services Act under one
department.
Bhaskar
Prabhu of the Mahiti Adhikar Manch backed the demands. "If there is a
legal cell, commission will be better informed. Contentions should be in front
of the commissioner before hearing. In many cases, the complainant is not
called, so compliance ends up becoming a one-sided affair. A number of times
inquiries are not conducted properly which make orders of the commission
redundant." Prabhu said as far as compliance is concerned, a network of
citizens' groups can be of great help.