Times
of India: Mumbai: Tuesday, 20 January 2015.
A high-level
delegation comprising chief information commissioner RatnakarGaikwad and
information commissioners D B Deshpande, A K Jain and T F Thekkekara recently
called on chief minister DevendraFadnavis to press their demand for protection
to RTI activists.
"Targeting
of RTI activists is a serious issue in Maharashtra and several were either
attacked or murdered in the recent past. On demand, the activists should be
given adequate protection on a case-to-case basis on merit. Earlier attacks on
activists should be investigated on a war-footing,'' Gaikwad told Fadnavis.
Pune-based
activist Vijay Kumbhar expressed concern over the spurt in attacks and murders
of RTI activists. Out of 20 killed between January 2010 and December 2014,
seven were from Maharashtra. "The murders are a serious matter. The
BJP-led government will have to draft an action plan for their protection. The
government must ensure maximum information is available to the aam admi in a
routine course,'' Kumbhar said.
Gaikwad said
besides the murders and attacks, the delegation told Fadnavis that in the
larger public interest, there was urgent need to strengthen the institution of
the information commission. "A few posts of information commissioners are
lying vacant for long, there is huge pendency. There is also an acute shortage
of staff at most commissions,'' Gaikwad said.
The
delegation urged Fadnavis that state commissions should be equipped with a
strong legal wing.
Gaikwad said
there was an urgent need to implement section 4 of the RTI Act, on proper
maintenance of records by public authorities and publication of relevant
information of each public authority in all departments. He said non-compliance
of crucial orders of the commission was a matter of concern.
.JPG)
.JPG)
