NEWADR appeals to MPS not to support RTI amendment

TruthDive: New Delhi: Friday, August 02, 2013.

The National Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (NEWADR) has appealed to all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs to not support the proposed amendment of the Right to Information Act 2005.

Letters to this effect have been signed by state co-ordinators of state election watch teams. This demand is supported by over 1200 organizations which are members of National Election Watch across India.

The letters say that by not supporting this bill, the lawmakers will be supporting the citizens of the country, and will become advocates of transparency and accountability.

NEWADR said the Right to Information Act has been hailed as landmark legislation since its enactment, and the government that passed this legislation has claimed, and is believed, to be an advocate of transparency.

“Bringing political parties under the purview of the RTI Act is merely a step forward in the same direction to ensure accountability by all political platforms to the citizens of India,” it said.

It further said that the suspicion that this may be detrimental to the internal functioning and strategies of the political parties is completely misplaced.

“On the contrary, lack of information about the political parties leads to disconnect between the parties and the common man. Bringing political parties under RTI will help bridge that gap and the common man will be able to engage with the parties,” the NEWADR said.

“The amendment to the RTI Act, if passed, will add substantially to the already widespread resentment across masses and widen the distrust between citizens and the leaders,” it warned.

National Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms members will also be participating in the public action called in by the National Campaign for Peoples Right to Information on August 6.