Activists oppose plan to amend RTI Act

Indian Express: Bengaluru: Thursday, July 26, 2018.

Members of Karnataka RTI Activists State Committee protested the proposed amendments to the Right To Information Act at Town Hall here on Wednesday. The government has listed a Bill in the current session of Parliament that began last Wednesday to amend the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. The amendments propose to entrust the central government with the power to decide the tenure, salaries, allowances and other terms of service of all information commissioners in the country. This would take away their autonomy as it would make commissioners act according to the whims of the Centre, in the fear of losing their tenures or in the fear of affecting their salaries, the activists protested.

B H Veeresh, Convener, Karnataka RTI Activists State Committee, said, “The text of the RTI Amendment Bill was available only one day before the Parliament’s monsoon session. The secrecy around the amendments has prevented any meaningful debate or public engagement with the proposed changes. The government is in violation of the Pre Legislative Consultation Policy of 2014 which mandates public disclosure and consultation on draft legislations.” he said.

“The proposed amendments to the RTI Act will completely destroy the autonomy of Information Commissions set up under the RTI Act to adjudicate on appeals and complaints of people who have been denied their rights under the RTI Act,” he added. As the RTI Act stands today, the salaries, allowances and other terms of service of the Chief of the Central Information Commission are the same as that of the Chief Election Commissioner. Those of the State Information Commissioners are on par with Election Commissioners. The Chief and other Election Commissioners are paid a salary equal to the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court, which is decided by the Parliament.

The activists said during the formulation of the Act, the recommendation of Standing Committee to elevate the status of information commissioners to election commissioners was accepted and passed by the Parliament.