DNA: Mumbai: Monday, July 24, 2017.
Shailesh
Gandhi, former central information commissioner (CIC) on Sunday, speaking at a
seminar, asked RTI propagators to seek information that is important, of public
interest and get information commissions to pass order that such information
should be part of section 4 (suo motu disclosure).
Gandhi said,
"I have filed a complaint for details of welfare funds to be put online by
the government. An order was given by the commission but the details are still
not up. I am now trying to follow that up with RTI applications. It may take
time for them to upload but it's important that information that could be of
interest to citizens be given suo motu by public authorities. Such information
citizens will be able to decide better as compared to details like salaries
that are also to be given under suo motu disclosure. If authorities haven't put
up such information, then you should take up the issue and get the commission
to pass orders for its implementation."
Gandhi also
asked those gathered to use Act 21 of the state government that talks about
disciplinary action on government servants. The Act is called Government
Servants Regulation of Transfers and Prevention of Delay in Discharge of
Official Duties Act, 2005. "While under RTI, disciplinary action can only
be recommended, in this Act, if a file is not cleared in 45 days, disciplinary
action can be taken. Most officers fear taking one thinking that it will have
long term repercussions on the career of a person but it is a very stringent
Act," said Gandhi.
The seminar
was organised by NGO Tarun Mitra Mandal to celebrate its 10 years of
propagating RTI.
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