Centre plans amendments to RTI Act : By Soni Mishra

THE WEEK: New Delhi: Tuesday, June 05, 2018.

The Centre is considering amendments to the Right to Information Act, 2005, confirmed the Department of Personnel and Training in response to an RTI application. The confirmation comes amid protests by activists over alleged attempts by the government to “weaken” the iconic law.

“The matter regarding amendment of the RTI Act, 2005 is under consideration and has not reached finality. As per Section 8 (1) (i) of the RTI Act, 2005, information requested by you cannot be supplied to you at this stage,” the DoPT said in response to an RTI application filed by activist Shailesh Gandhi.

In the application filed on 3 May, 2018, Gandhi had sought a copy of the proposed amendments. He also asked for a copy of the record giving details of the pre-legislative consultations that might have been taken place in the matter.

Gandhi, in his plea, had also sought a confirmation if there was no proposal for a pre-legislative consultation. The response was silent on this account, prompting the activist to claim that it appears that the government wants to carry out amendments without a pre-legislative consultation.

“It appears it (the government) wants to undertake this nefarious action without any pre-legislative consultation as required by Section 4 (1) (c) of the RTI Act, which mandates that the government publish all relevant facts while formulating important policies or announcing the decisions which affect public,” said the former Chief Information Commissioner.

Referring to reports that the government has shelved its plans to amend the RTI rules in the face of opposition from the civil society, he said the rules of the act are limited by the act, and amendments to the act are far more dangerous.

“When the earlier government tried to amend the RTI Act thrice, citizens resisted and the attempt was given up,” Gandhi said, adding that it is almost a foregone conclusion that if the law is amended it will weaken the fundamental right to information of the citizens.

RTI activists have been alleging that the government has a draft amendment bill in place with regard to the amendments that it plans to bring into the law, and has not shared it for feedback from the public.