Morung Express: Dimapur: Friday, July 27, 2018.
The Nagaland
Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) on Thursday stated that the
Nagaland State Government should not delay any further in implementing the
recommendations of the High Power Committee (HPC) report to curb multiple
taxations in the state.
Information
and Publicity Cell, NPRAAF in a press statement said the Forum was yet to get
its hands on the contents of the recommendation made by 3-member HPC headed by
former Supreme Court judge HK Sema despite filing an RTI application in the
office of the Chief Minister of Nagaland on April, 2016 seeking to know the
contents of the recommendation made by HPC.
The Forum
stated that the RTI application was transferred by CMO to Home Department,
Government of Nagaland on May 12, 2016. After much delay, the Home Department
provided information only on the expenditure incurred by the 3 member HPC
committee which amounted to a whopping Rs 47.88.476 lakh.
Apart from
this, the Government did not reveal anything on the HPC recommendation even
after a series of appearance and arguments between NPRAAF and Home Department
officials before the State Information Commission (SIC), with the latest
hearing held on February 16, 2018, the Forum stated.
The Forum
stated that the Home Department reiterated its earlier stance that, since the
report is a Cabinet paper under Sec 8 (1) (i) of RTI Act 2005, a copy of the
report cannot be furnished at this stage as requested.
Since a
verdict could not be given by the SIC even on the latest hearing date, the
Forum said it had requested the Home Department to give in written its response
on record.
As per the
response from the Home Department issued on July 18, on the query to the State
Government to produce true certificate copies of the entire report and the
recommendation of HPC on illegal/unabated taxation, the Home Department replied
that since the report is a Cabinet paper under Sec 8 (1) (i) of RTI act 2005, a
copy of the report cannot be furnished at this stage as requested.
On the query
whether the Government of Nagaland has taken any step/action based on the
report and recommendation submitted by HPC, the Home Department responded that
the report is under examination and therefore no action can be initiated until
final decision is taken by the cabinet, the Forum stated.
In this
connection, the Forum has viewed the response of the government referring to
Sec 8 (1) (i) as wrong understanding of the RTI Act, and alleged that the
government was trying to dodge the question and nothing else.
While
asserting that the public has every right to know the recommendation made by
HPC as multiple taxation is a concern for all Nagas and huge public fund was
spend for the committee, the Forum has asked the government not to delay any
further in implementing the recommendation made by the HPC report to curb
multiple taxation in the state.
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