DNA:
New Delhi: Monday, 20 April 2015.
Modi
government's agenda for transparency seems to have once again gone for a toss.
The file noting and correspondence related to Land Acquisition Ordinance, 2014,
which has rattled the farm community all over the nation and opposition
parties, can still not be disclosed as per the latest RTI ruling by the
ministry of rural development.
While disposing
off an RTI application on April 10, the first appellant authority of the rural
ministry said, "Part information related to the file notings and
correspondence relating to the RFCTLARR (amendment) Ordinance, 2014 are
exempted from disclosure under Section 8 (1) of the RTI Act 2005 and is not
being provided right now." The reply was received by Odisha-based RTI
activist-cum-journalist Chitrangada Choudhury on April 15. The appellant
authority didn't even cite which of the 10 exemption clauses listed in Section
8 (1) of the RTI act was applied for refusal.
Under Section
8(1) exemption clauses information cannot be given if it affect sovereignty and
integrity of the country, security, commercial confidence, trade secrets or
intellectual property and other reasons. However, it does states that,
"the decisions of council of ministers, the reasons thereof, and the
material on the basis of which the decisions were taken shall be made public
after the decision has been taken, and the matter is complete or over."
In January,
Chitrangada had filed an RTI request asking for the photocopies of the
documents, file notings and all correspondence between ministry of rural
development and other government and non-government authorities. The communiqué
requested was for any proposed amendments to the Right to Fair Compensation and
Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 and
the ordinance of December 31, 2014 bringing changes to this act.
.JPG)
.JPG)
