In a landmark ruling to ensure transparency in the functioning of political parties, the Central Information Commission on Monday held that the parties are public authorities and answerable to citizens under RTI Act.
An RTI query seeking details of expenses incurred by the Centre on hosting US President Barack Obama earlier this year has been rejected by the Ministry of External Affairs on the ground that such information is sensitive and may affect bilateral relations with the foreign country.
In response to an RTI query filed by Gulzaar Azmi, general secretary (legal cell) of a socio-cultural organisation, Jamiat Ulama-E-Maharashtra, it was found that Sadashiv Abhimanyu Patil, a constable attached to Nashik unit of ATS, had sent Rs 1,000 thrice to accused Abrar Ahmed through money order in August, September and November 2008 from his residential address at police headquarters in Nashik.
An accused in serial train blast case of 2006 has chosen the RTI in a bid to put the stalled trial in the case back on track.
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.
Noted Right To Information activist Arun Mane was on Sunday assaulted by unknown persons at Talegaon Dabhade near Pune, police said.
The case related to an RTI application seeking to know the reasons for filing case withdrawal application against one of the prime accused, Italian Businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, in the Delhi high court.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday filed a chargesheet against sitting Bharatiya Janata Party MP Dinu Bogha Solanki in connection with the murder of RTI activist Amit Jethwa who had waged a crusade against illegal mining in Gir forest, the last abode of Asiatic lions.
In April 2016, the then CIC M Sridhar Acharyulu had directed the Delhi University and the Gujarat University to provide information to Kejriwal on the degrees that Modi received.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had faced backlash on social media over his morphed photo during the aerial survey of flood-hit Chennai earlier this year, is now mired in a similar controversy once again.
The BJP is hopeful that the issue will come in handy in its efforts to gain political traction in the Dravidian territory during the Lok Sabha polls, more so as it involves neighbouring Sri Lanka whose treatment of its own Tamilian citizens and Tamil Nadu fishermen has long been a charged political issue in the state.
Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, who appeared for the petitioners in the court, said at least 30 shell companies purchased electoral bonds worth over Rs 143 crore.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India will have to come under the ambit of Right to Information Act if it wants to use 'India' as its national team's name, Justice Mukul Mudgal, who headed the committee constituted to draft the Sports Development Bill 2013, said on Monday.
Social activists, led by National Advisory Council member Aruna Roy, on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's observations on the Right To Information Act, alleging it signals support from the "highest quarters" to those keen on diluting the law. The "concerns expressed by the PM will support and pass a signal to those who want to dilute and weaken the Act that they have support from the highest quarters," a statement signed by several RTI activists said.
'Since the last ten days our own people were spreading canards and propaganada against me and my family.' 'I was upset by this behaviour and I decided that I should not contest this Lok Sabha election.'
Information Commissioner M L Sharma has resigned from the Central Information Commission after a nearly five-year-long stint. Sharma was part of several landmark decisions including the bringing of political parties under the RTI Act.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India is likely to challenge the Central Information Commission's ruling that the cricket board be brought under the Right to Information act with a top official accusing the Committee of Administrators (COA) of 'wilful negligence' in dealing with the matter.
While Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi has raised the issue of corruption during the course of the current Lok Sabha, party president Sonia Gandhi has not brought it up.
The process of conferring the country's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna on batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar was initiated on the first day of his farewell 200th cricket Test on November 14, 2013 and the announcement made two days later, according to an RTI reply.
Rulers in New Delhi and their political aides in sensitive states like Tamil Nadu have to be doubly careful not to provoke a situation whose consequences may be much more than visible now to the naked eye, notes N Sathiya Moorthy.
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.
In a move which could once again put the Congress in the firing line and give them a great deal of negative publicity, the party's core group in its meeting held on Friday evening has given the green signal to bring a fresh bill in the monsoon session of Parliament to keep political parties out of the ambit of the Right to Information Act.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wife Jashodaben today filed a Right to Information application with Mehsana police to seek clarity on security cover given to her at present and wanted to know what she is entitled to.
The Triple Talaq and RTI bills were passed by Rajya Sabha in the last 10 days after the National Democratic Alliance government got support of a few parties, including the Biju Janata Dal, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the YSR Congress, in Rajya Sabha where the BJP lacked majority.
Ask for file notings on dual spectrum, new licence issues.
The government has proposed that political parties cannot be designated public authorities as defined in the RTI Act. Anita Katyal reports
The complaint against him and his special secretary was filed by Goa-based social activist Aires Rodrigues, who had sought from Raj Bhavan under the RTI Act details of action taken on complaints made by him to the Governor against the Advocate General of Goa.
Even the most backward sections of rural societies are seeking information.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday questioned Bharatiya Janata Party MP Dinu Bogha Solanki in connection with sensational murder of RTI activist Amit Jethwa who had filed a plea before the Gujarat high court against illegal mining in Gir forests.
The Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI) on Sunday accepted that they were not in a position to control spot-fixing in wake of the row, which involves three Rajasthan Royals players.
Citizens need to only call the centre, expected to be located in Banglore, to file RTI applications, for a fee.
Option can be exercised only for self-applications and after a year of non-payment.
A constable from Junagadh district has been arrested in connection with the alleged murder of RTI activist and green crusader Amit Jethwa here, the police said on Tuesday. "We have arrested Bahadursinh Wadher, a police constable from Jungadh in connection with the killing of Jethwa. Wadher was posted in the Gir-Gadhada region of Junagadh," DCP (crime), Himanshu Shukla told PTI.
A special Central Bureau of Investigation Court on Thursday rejected the bail application of Zahida Parvez, the main accused in the 2011 murder of RTI activist Shehla Masood.
The Central Bureau of Investigation, probing January 2010 murder of RTI activist Satish Shetty, on Friday conducted searches at the offices of IRB Infrastructure Developers Limited, a company which was recently in news over its links with Bharatiya Janata Party chief Nitin Gadkari.
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.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal committed a gaffe at his rally in Ahmedabad on Sunday when he paid homage to four RTI activists, of whom three happen to be alive.
The Central Information Commission has directed the PMO to answer the question within 15 days.
About 82 per cent of the total income from unknown sources declared by national political parties in 2022-23 came from electoral bonds, according to a poll rights body.
The Left has said the amendments will make the RTI useless.
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