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.
The superintendent of Taloja jail has just been transferred. Does that signal a more human phase in prison for the Bhima Koregaon accused? asks Jyoti Punwani.
Delhi University had claimed that unless the roll number of a student is not provided, it would be difficult to search the records.
The interest money which is not claimed by people due to religious obligations is kept in suspended bank accounts.
Earlier, RBI had refused to disclose information about consultation undertaken before the demonetisation move was announced by the prime minister on November 8.
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.
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.
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 agency had summoned him in January too but he sought time, citing the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, they said.
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.
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.
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.
He was granted bail by a court in Ahmedabad.
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
'Not providing a copy to the complainant while holding her complaint to be unfounded would be a violation of the principles of natural justice and a complete travesty of justice'
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.
Why doesn't anybody ask the PSU State Bank of India under RTI on how much they are spending on legal fees trying to recover money from me in the UK when I have offered 100 per cent payback in India, asked Mallya.
Amid the row over her educational qualification, Union Minister Smriti Irani had asked the Delhi University not to disclose it to an RTI applicant, the School of Open Learning has told the Central Information Commission.
The ministry said it has launched an inquiry to ascertain as to how this "factual information" was not included in the ministry's response to an RTI query.
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.
The BCCI had been vehemently opposed to signing up with NADA, claiming that it is an autonomous body, not a National Sports Federation and does not rely on government funding.
Indian banks have started exploring opportunities in the space, including lending to crypto exchanges, and accepting bitcoins as collateral, among others.
As many as 31 air conditioners and 25 heaters were among a number of electrical appliances installed in the official bungalow of Sheila Dikshit in Delhi when she was chief minister.
For those who think India's democracy is just fine and there has been no change in the last few years, perhaps it would be instructive to see what has happened on a few issues, observes Aakar Patel.
The union minister for sports, Vijay Goel, on Monday made it clear that implementation of the Supreme Court verdict on Lodha Committee's recommended reforms will be purely BCCI's prerogative.
The fact that the government has no specific deadline to impose this policy was revealed through a response to an RTI application in February 2017.
The prime minister says he will bring real change to Bengal. Perhaps he will. The interesting thing is that his party has never defined what this change is, observes Aakar Patel.
The Prime Minister's Office not disclosing information about expenses incurred on foreign visits of the Prime Minister nothwithstanding, a Central Information Commission-constituted panel has recommended not only putting out such details proactively by all ministries but regular updating as well.
The complaint alleges that Thakur misused his position as IG and both, he and his wife, possessed properties disproportionate to their income.
We followed the highest standard of corporate governance and disclosures, says Nilekani.
Shelling and firing by Pakistani troops was "very heavy" in 2019, virtually making the 2003 India-Pakistan border truce "redundant", officials said.
The files pertaining names and the total number of counsels, solicitors, advocates and legal advisors, public prosecutors appointed by the state in the hit-and-run case were destroyed in the Mantralaya blaze.
'If I close my housing loan, are there any investment avenues (the investment should provide liquidity) to save tax?'
On paper, as many as 136 members should have opposed the Bill in a House of 241 members, reports Archis Mohan,
The study was ordered in March 2011 when the nation was debating on the amount of unaccounted income with figures projected by politicians and civil society in crores of rupees.
Even under the RTI response, all public sectors banks have washed their hands of any responsibility.
With 2,269 vacancies, the IITs currently have one teacher for every 16 students.
When Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tables her Budget on February 1, the numbers could be something to cheer.
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