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:
The ministry has said the information is classified as 'top secret' and it cannot be disclosed.
To govern effectively, to legislate successfully, Modi must reach out to the Opposition. As long as he does not and he is showing no signs that he accepts the reality, the drift his fans are anguishing over will remain, cautions Aakar Patel.
Maharashtra transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar told PTI that the Porsche car was imported in March by a dealer in Bengaluru and from there it was sent to Maharashtra on a temporary registration.
The Centre has refused to share copies of reports sent to it by the Uttar Pradesh governor and the government on Muzaffarnagar communal violence, saying it would impede probe, apprehension and prosecution of offenders.
The Union Health Ministry has said in response to a Right to Information application that it does not know where records related to agenda circulated in meetings of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 are held.
The commission has also sought records related to the termination of the deal to be presented before it in an in camera proceedings for its perusal before deciding whether they can be disclosed under the RTI Act or they attract its exemption clauses.
One of the most important cases which have political implications is the Ayodhya land dispute case.
The CIC's directive came while deciding on a plea by Lucknow-based activist Nutan Thakur, who had based her RTI application on some media reports that RBI deputy governor Viral Acharya in a lecture in 2017 had said accounts of some loan defaulters have been sent to banks for resolution.
The audit is under progress and the report is yet to be finalised. The information cannot be given under Section 8(1)(C) of the RTI Act as the disclosure would cause breach of Parliament, the CAG said.
A bench of Justices V Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal, which extended the protection from arrest to Gogoi till March 3, said it would hear the matter on Friday.
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".
The Sports Ministry is pinning its hope on the Central Information Commission to bring the Board of Control for Crickt in India under the purview of the Right To Information Act. Sports Minister Ajay Maken said he has appealed to the CIC to bring the BCCI under RTI for varied reasons.
The report said Sasikala was allowed to wear her personal clothes and cook. A pressure cooker and spices were found in her prison cell.
The Prime Minister's Office has told the Central Information Commission that it cannot declassify files related to freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose as it will adversely affect relations with foreign countries.
The EC cited Section 8(1)(g) of the RTI Act exempting the disclosure of information which would endanger the life or physical safety of any person or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes.
'Not even a single rupee from the electoral bonds should be allowed to be used in the election.' 'If it is used in the election, it will taint India's electoral process itself.'
The CRPF gave this response while refusing to share its inquiry report into the incident with an RTI applicant.
For former central information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi, the RTI Act remains a powerful ally, finds A Ganesh Nadar
'The cops must know they cannot foist false cases against anyone.'
The CIC slapped the fine on the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India's CEO Sudhir Mukund Galande while dismissing his argument that he was acting as a 'facilitator' to the RTI applicant and that he was 'not having direct access or control' over the information.
The new Bench will start hearing the matter from August 16.
The National Sports Federations, including the Board of Control for Cricket in India, will be treated as public authority and come under the Right to Information Act (RTI) under the proposed National Sports Development bill, Sports Minister Ajay Maken said in Bangalore on Monday.
The finance ministry official may have claimed that the ministry does not have information on the loans sanctioned by different banks to Mallya or the details of the guarantee given by Mallya against those loans, but the ministry had responded to questions in this regard in Parliament in the past.
One of the questions in his application was 'Can we do it without Will Smith?'
Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai, whose reports on irregularities in coal block allocations and 2G telecom spectrum had created a major political storm, deprecated the "brazenness" with which the decisions were being taken, calling it "appalling".
Major national parties, including Congress, on Wednesday attacked the CIC order on bringing parties under the RTI Act ambit while the government reacted sharply as Bharatiya Janata Party ploughed a lonely furrow by welcoming it.
Tearing into the claims of the United Progressive Alliance about its flagship employment generation programme MNREGA, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Tuesday alleged it had only "filled the pockets of Congress" and sought to debunk the much-touted RTI.
Even the most backward sections of rural societies are seeking information.
Credit report is a record of an individual's or company's past borrowing and repaying, including information about late payments and bankruptcy. The central bank said it has been receiving complaints, including under RTI Act, that customers are unable to get their own credit report from banks despite the fact that the banks, under Credit Information Companies Act, are required to build a database and be in readiness for effective exchange of credit information.
Gujarat Congress on Monday issued an 18-point "chargesheet" against Narendra Modi government accusing it of practising loot, corruption and adopting anti-people policies in the poll bound state
Citizens need to only call the centre, expected to be located in Banglore, to file RTI applications, for a fee.
The Central Information Commission will seek a report from Income Tax department and Directorate of Estate regarding tax exemptions claimed by political parties and their assets to ascertain whether there is enough indirect funding from the government to bring them under the ambit of RTI Act.
Option can be exercised only for self-applications and after a year of non-payment.
Shiv Sena has sacked party workers who blackened the face of a Right to Information activist in Latur in Marathwada region, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray said in Mumbai on Saturday.
The Delhi high court on Wednesday dismissed an appeal challenging a single judge's order quashing a plea seeking the agenda of the Supreme Court collegium's meeting on December 12, 2018, when certain decisions were purportedly taken on the elevation of judges to the apex court.
Those running from pillar to post to get their Income Tax refund dues can seek solace in Right to Information Act, which is fast becoming a potent tool to get refund faster.
The Left has said the amendments will make the RTI useless.
Wajahat Habibullah, chairperson, National Commission for Minorities, speaks to Kavita Chowdhury on reservation for Muslims, the RTI Act and the controversy over withdrawal of AFSPA in Kashmir.
The BCCI is one of the most efficient sports bodies in the country but there would be a question mark over its functioning if the cricket board does not come under the Right to Information Act, Sports Minister Ajay Maken said, in New Delhi, on Monday.
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