News for '-lokesh-batra'

CIC gets full strength after 9 yrs; Raj Kumar Goyal appointed chief

CIC gets full strength after 9 yrs; Raj Kumar Goyal appointed chief

Rediff.com16 Dec 2025

The Central Information Commission (CIC) attains its full strength after nine years with the appointment of Raj Kumar Goyal as chief and eight other information commissioners.

PM-led panel to pick information commissioners tomorrow

PM-led panel to pick information commissioners tomorrow

Rediff.com9 Dec 2025

A panel headed by PM Modi and including Rahul Gandhi will meet to decide on the next Chief Information Commissioner and information commissioners for vacant positions at the Central Information Commission (CIC).

SBI refuses to share electoral bonds details under RTI Act

SBI refuses to share electoral bonds details under RTI Act

Rediff.com11 Apr 2024

The RTI also sought the details of the fees paid by the SBI to senior advocate Harish Salve to defend its case against the disclosure of the electoral bonds' records, citing that the records are held in a fiduciary capacity and the information is personal in nature.

Bandh Karo Yeh Electoral Bonds!

Bandh Karo Yeh Electoral Bonds!

Rediff.com14 Nov 2023

Despite the objections raised by Reserve Bank of India and Election Commission, India's politics has been funded anonymously and it is time to end this, asserts Aakar Patel.

'Imagine hostile forces getting their hands on data'

'Imagine hostile forces getting their hands on data'

Rediff.com22 Jun 2023

'Maybe the State wants to be watching people all the time. But when they are watching, others too may be watching!' 'The State is becoming more and more secretive while throwing people to the wolves.'

How India's Covid-19 vaccination drive is lagging, 6 months on

How India's Covid-19 vaccination drive is lagging, 6 months on

Rediff.com27 Jul 2021

India has placed orders for 786 million doses till date -- less than the probable need of 950 million doses, reports Abhishek Waghmare.

How is our info useful to you: PMO asks RTI applicant

How is our info useful to you: PMO asks RTI applicant

Rediff.com1 Apr 2013

In an apparent violation of the Right to Information Act, the Public Information Officer at the Prime Minister's Office has refused to provide information to an applicant, saying he failed to show how it was "useful" to him "either personally, socially or nationally".

RTI activist challenging MLA shot at in Thane

RTI activist challenging MLA shot at in Thane

Rediff.com27 Feb 2010

A Right to Information activist Arun Sawant was critically injured after being shot by two unidentified men in Thane.

AI has dues of over Rs 822 cr towards VVIP flights: RTI

AI has dues of over Rs 822 cr towards VVIP flights: RTI

Rediff.com6 Feb 2020

Air India had stopped the practice of issuing tickets on credit to government agencies for the travel of their officials in December last year because of accruing pending bills.

Cong's Mallikarjun Kharge to be on panel headed by Modi

Cong's Mallikarjun Kharge to be on panel headed by Modi

Rediff.com4 Nov 2014

Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has reportedly been inducted into the three-member selection committee which will select the chief information commissioner.

Disclose bills of Air India charter plane for PM's travel abroad: CIC to MEA

Disclose bills of Air India charter plane for PM's travel abroad: CIC to MEA

Rediff.com27 Feb 2018

Chief Information Commissioner R K Mathur rejected the contention of the ministry that details of the amount, reference numbers, dates of bills raised by Indian Air Force and Air India for the foreign visits undertaken by the Prime Minister are scattered across various records and files and collation of information in the manner sought by the appellant would involve searching of voluminous records by a significant number of officials.

Pak bills Rs 2.86 lakh as route navigation charges on PM Modi's flights

Pak bills Rs 2.86 lakh as route navigation charges on PM Modi's flights

Rediff.com19 Feb 2018

The data gathered by activist Commodore (Retd) Lokesh Batra through his RTI application, show that till June 2016, Indian Air Force aircraft were used for the prime minister's visits to 11 countries -- Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Qatar, Australia, Pakistan, Russia, Iran, Fiji and Singapore.

Centre fails to appoint new CIC again as panel goes headless

Centre fails to appoint new CIC again as panel goes headless

Rediff.com2 Dec 2015

The situation has arisen second time since the Bharatiya Janata Party government came to power in 2014.

Govt notifies new RTI rules; CIC tenure cut to 3 yrs

Govt notifies new RTI rules; CIC tenure cut to 3 yrs

Rediff.com25 Oct 2019

The new rules have given discretion to government to decide on allowances or service conditions not specifically covered by the 2019 rules which would be 'binding'.

Office of CJI is public authority, falls under RTI: SC

Office of CJI is public authority, falls under RTI: SC

Rediff.com13 Nov 2019

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi upheld the 2010 Delhi high court verdict and dismissed three appeals filed by Secretary General of the Supreme Court and the Central Public Information officer of the apex court.

Activists slam PM Modi over exclusion at RTI meet, to boycott inaugural

Activists slam PM Modi over exclusion at RTI meet, to boycott inaugural

Rediff.com15 Oct 2015

The CIC has invited only seven RTI activists -- Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey, Shekhar Singh, Amrita Johri, Anjali Bharadwaj, Venkatesh Nayak and Lokesh Batra -- for the function to be held on Friday.

Government seeks suggestions from public over new RTI draft rules

Government seeks suggestions from public over new RTI draft rules

Rediff.com3 Apr 2017

The proposed rules, aimed at replacing RTI rules of 2012, have been placed by the department of personnel and training on its website for comments from public.

'Why is the prime minister not transparent?'

'Why is the prime minister not transparent?'

Rediff.com28 Mar 2018

'I am only asking about his travel bills and expenditure.'

This man wants to know how much PM spent on foreign trips

This man wants to know how much PM spent on foreign trips

Rediff.com15 Oct 2015

'My interest is to open up transparency to the people who unnecessary raise these issues. The prime minister has full right to go wherever he is going but the question is why is he not transparent on expenditure.' 'When the prime minister went to the UN, he spoke of transparency. You are not complying with it. It shows hypocrisy.' Commodore Lokesh Batra (retd) on why he filed an RTI to find out how much Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spent on his foreign visits.

40,000 cases pending but CIC panel still remains headless

40,000 cases pending but CIC panel still remains headless

Rediff.com8 Jun 2015

Over 40,000 complaints and appeals are pending in the Central Information Commission which is working without its chief for more than nine months.