Times of India: Pune: Friday, 20 May 2022.
With several quasi-judicial cases pending with various departments, public authorities, and Right to Information (RTI) commissioners, the Maharashtra government has allowed for video conferencing along with offline hearings for speedy disposal of cases in the state.
While the same was already implemented in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, a new government resolution (GR) issued on May 17 this year has stated that the facility should continue, in a bid to help ease the hearing of quasi-judicial cases for those who can't make it to offline hearings.
Former chief information
commissioner (CIC) Shailesh Gandhi and other RTI activists, instrumental in
filing the PIL for implementing the same two years ago, said the state's
decision to continue video conferencing will help reduce pendency.
"We had filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court requesting that all quasi-judicial hearings be heard online during the pandemic. While the court accepted our prayer for the pandemic, it left the decision about making this step permanent to the government. The state has now issued a GR formalising the same," shared Gandhi.
RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar chipped in, "This will save much time and cost for complainants. Implementation will have to be checked as it is a big step toadopting technology in government activities. We will see if the GR is followed and if not, exercise our right to complain."
Velankar added, "We will be closely monitoring the implementation as it will pertain to all departments revenue, consumer redressal, the charity commissioner's office and even cooperative society hearings at the deputy registrar's office."
Advocate Sunil Ahya who represented the PIL in the HC, told TOI that the first prayer was sanctioned on October 13, 2020 - and now, the state's move is to make physical and online conferencing of quasi-judicial hearings (including those under the RTI Act) become a permanent method, independent and irrespective of the pandemic.
With several quasi-judicial cases pending with various departments, public authorities, and Right to Information (RTI) commissioners, the Maharashtra government has allowed for video conferencing along with offline hearings for speedy disposal of cases in the state.
While the same was already implemented in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, a new government resolution (GR) issued on May 17 this year has stated that the facility should continue, in a bid to help ease the hearing of quasi-judicial cases for those who can't make it to offline hearings.
"We had filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court requesting that all quasi-judicial hearings be heard online during the pandemic. While the court accepted our prayer for the pandemic, it left the decision about making this step permanent to the government. The state has now issued a GR formalising the same," shared Gandhi.
RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar chipped in, "This will save much time and cost for complainants. Implementation will have to be checked as it is a big step toadopting technology in government activities. We will see if the GR is followed and if not, exercise our right to complain."
Velankar added, "We will be closely monitoring the implementation as it will pertain to all departments revenue, consumer redressal, the charity commissioner's office and even cooperative society hearings at the deputy registrar's office."
Advocate Sunil Ahya who represented the PIL in the HC, told TOI that the first prayer was sanctioned on October 13, 2020 - and now, the state's move is to make physical and online conferencing of quasi-judicial hearings (including those under the RTI Act) become a permanent method, independent and irrespective of the pandemic.
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