I think it is best to abolish the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan -- they dilute the value of the Padma Shri, says RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal in an interview to Indulekha Aravind
The Union defence ministry has rejected former Army Chief Gen VK Singh's plea to get a copy of an army report on the activities of the controversial Technical Support Division, set up during his tenure.
Over 40,000 complaints and appeals are pending in the Central Information Commission which is working without its chief for more than nine months.
Social activist and close aide of Anna Hazare, Prashant Bhushan, said that the move would help their cause and will let people know the truth.
The PM-CARES fund, which has been set up to provide relief during the coronavirus pandemic, has contributed over Rs 2,200 crore for the first phase of vaccination drive, which is looking to inoculate frontline healthcare workers, the Expenditure Secretary said on Tuesday.
The Right to Information Act has virtually proved the transparency it promised after a reserved category candidate in Chhattisgarh extensively used it to expose chinks in state Public Service Commission examinations.
After admitting the application of Gujarat University, seeking to quash the CIC order on technical grounds, judge S H Vora issued notices to Information Commissioner M Sridhar Acharyulu and Kejriwal to furnish their responses and kept further hearing next month.
Only 32 departments had prepared and submitted these plans.
Opposition leaders and activists hit out at the Centre after the death of Jesuit priest and activist Stan Swamy on Monday, saying it should be held accountable for the "ruthless" and "inhuman treatment" meted out to the 84-year-old who was suffering from multiple ailments and awaiting bail on medical grounds.
Air India had placed an order for 68 aircraft, including Boeing 737s, 777s and 787s, all valued at $11 billion in Dec 2005.
The Central Information Commission has directed the Lieutenant Governor's office to make public the reasons for delay in deciding the mercy petition of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
Stung by an alleged sex CD scandal, Karnataka Excise Minister H Y Meti resigned on Wednesday with government ordering a probe by the Criminal Investigation Department into the entire purported episode over the charge that he sought sexual favour from a woman in return for help.
The 5-judge bench, was referring to four senior most judges of apex court -- Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, M B Lokur and Kurian Joseph -- who had held January 12 press conference against CJI Dipak Misra raising litany of questions on allocation of cases.
The Lok Sabha Secretariat has refused to entertain the request from the Prime Minister's Office seeking permission to disclose ministers' assets who are members of the House, saying RTI act does not have any such provisions for giving such "clearances".
At a time when the country's medical infrastructure has become incapable of handling the pressure of Covid's deadly second wave, a parallel wave of conmen, black marketers and counterfeiters can be witnessed across the country. Geetanjali Krishna reports.
Much before the BCCI came out with its probe panel report, many were aware what was coming.
'What we have is the bill and the Act passed by Parliament.' 'And then there is a criterion of exclusion as to who will not be covered in EWS.' 'Beyond that, we have no clue where this idea came from.' 'And most importantly, why is it 10% reservation, and say why not 15% or 20%?'
Hearing an appeal against the market regulator's denial of information sought through Right to Information Act, the Appellate Authority has ruled the process relating to grant of recognition of MCX-SX in 2008 has been completed.
The Delhi government has allotted the land at those rates to a joint-venture between a society and a private player for a Drivers' Training Institute, according to an RTI reply given by the Transport department.
Both denominations are printed at the old rates
Noted journalists Vir Sanghvi and Pritish Nandy have revealed that they will be jointly filing a Right To Information application with the Central Information Commission (CIC) with regard to this year's Padma Award list and the questionable inclusion of Indian-American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal in it.
The firm, headed by Sunil Kumar Gupta, was appointed auditors of the PM's National Relief Fund in 2019, reports Archis Mohan
Shailesh Gandhi, convener of the National Campaign for People's Right to Information, who was appointed a Central Information Commissioner in 2008, had an hour-long conversation with rediff.com readers on Monday evening on the Right to Information Act. Here is the complete chat transcript:
Turning down an RTI appeal, the Prime Minister's Office has said releasing secret files about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's widow Emilie Schenkl and daughter Anita Bose may upset relations with foreign countries.
Hockey India president Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad resigned from his position citing personal commitments, a development that was expected after the Sports Ministry asked him to quit, declaring his election violative of the national sports code's tenure guidelines. HI Executive Board named Manipur's Gyanendro Nigombam, who was senior vice-president in the federation, as the officiating president in Ahmad's place.
Delhi University had claimed that unless the roll number of a student is not provided, it would be difficult to search the records.
In a statement, the CPI-M Politburo contended that a political party was a voluntary association of citizens who believe in the ideology, programme and the leadership, and it was accountable only to its membership.
Upset over "callous attitude" of authorities in taking up the issue of torturous death of his son in the hands of Pakistan army during Kargil war, a slain army Captain's father has filed an RTI plea over the steps taken by the Union government in this regard.
The company on Tuesday challenged before the court the RTI commissioner's competence to deal with the matter, with its counsel submitting before Justice Dipankar Dutta that the Right to Information Act was not applicable in case of an agreement involving industrial secrets. Justice Dutta has scheduled the matter for hearing on Friday.
The interest money which is not claimed by people due to religious obligations is kept in suspended bank accounts.
The petition has sought laying down of specific mechanisms to ensure transparency in the process of appointment of CBI director.
Earlier, RBI had refused to disclose information about consultation undertaken before the demonetisation move was announced by the prime minister on November 8.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money-laundering case against renowned cardiologist Dr Naresh Trehan and others in connection with allotment of land for the Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon, officials said on Wednesday.
Tehelka Founder Editor Tarun Tejpal who has been chargesheeted for raping a junior woman colleague in Goa last year has sought information under Right to Information relating to the money spent on the entire exercise of investigating and prosecuting him in the case.
A month after the BJP-led government in Maharashtra announced allotment of a prime piece of land in Mumbai to actress and MP Hema Malini for a dance academy, an RTI activist has claimed the plot valued in crores is being given to her for a mere Rs 70,000.
Several recommendations of the various law commissions on repealing of obsolete laws, including the Official Secrets Act, have failed to elicit a positive response from the government in an exercise over which crores of rupees were spent during the past ten years.
GSTN CEO Prakash Kumar tells Sudipto Dey how IT can improve service delivery of government departments.
Observing that if people file an RTI query, they must know who the defaulters are, the bench asked the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) why the information on defaulters should be withheld
Only Rs 10,720 crore of the junked currency notes did not return to the banking system, rest 99.9 per cent was deposited raising question mark over the government's effort of curbing black money through the demonetisation.
An RTI report has named Mukesh Ambani's eldest son Anant, mother Kokilaben and Sachin Tendulkar's children Sara and Arjun among the list of people provided security by the Mumbai police.
