DNA: Mumbai: Tuesday, September 19, 2017.
It's ironic
that every few years, in a state that prides itself on implementing the
transparency act before the central Right to Information (RTI) Act came into
existence, it faces imminent death due to neglect. Incidentally, a month before
its 13th anniversary, the state information commission has its highest-ever
pendency.
At last count
in August 2017, around 41,682 (39,184 second appeals and 2,498 complaints) were
pending, almost double from over five years ago when 23,921 was considered to
be the lowest in years as there were only four commissioners. In contrast,
there are seven commissioners.
However,
except for the Brihanmumbai bench, all benches have pending second appeals that
are more than 1,000 with the Nashik bench having a maximum pending appeals at
over 10,000 as on August 2017. The Brihanmumbai bench, which has the lowest,
had 626 second appeals pending in August 2017. Three benches that have new
appointments since January have almost the same pending appeals as they were
before they joined. These are Nashik, Nagpur and Amravati. There has been no
drastic change in the number of pending second appeals, considering that it has
been over six months. At the three places, the pending remains more or less the
same. At Nashik, it continues to be over 10,000 while at Nagpur and Amravati it
is over 1,000 and 6,500 respectively.
At the
headquarter bench, which fell vacant barely three months ago, the pending
appeals have already reached over 1,800. Complaints, which are also filed
because commission orders are not implemented, appointing of commissioners, and
the quality of commissioners, has always been blamed as the prime reason for
"killing of the RTI Act by government" by RTI activist.
In May, the
outgoing chief commissioner, Ratnakar Gaikwad and former central information
commissioner, Shailesh Gandhi had written to the government to appoint
commissioners. Gandhi went on to state that some RTI activist be appointed and
even suggested some names.
"Government
needs to appoint commissioners. When they are appointing, there should be an
advertisement and minimum clearance of appeals and complaints need to be set
that should be followed by all commissioners. The government should also
consider appointing legal officers and increasing staff that is often on
deputation and leaves. It should be accountable for delays that happen. The working
pattern is not good in the commission," said Bhaskaar Prabhu, an RTI
activist.
AWAITING
ATTENTION
Nashik with
1,000 has the maximum number of pending second appeals. The Brihanmumbai bench
has the lowest number of pending second appeals at 626.
PENDING
APPEALS
Pending
second appeals as of August 2017:
Headquarter:
1,872
Brihanmumbai:
626
Konkan: 4,026
Pune: 7,766
Aurangabad:
6,507
Nashik:
10,141
Nagpur: 1,197
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