The Hindu : Other States / Rajasthan News : Passage of Bill on Right to Information welcomed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 13, 2005

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Other States - Rajasthan

Passage of Bill on Right to Information welcomed

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: The National Campaign for People's Right to Information has hailed the passage of the Right to Information Act 2005 in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as "historic''.

The passage of the Act would create opportunities for the people of India to participate meaningfully in the democratic governance, NCPRI, which spearheaded the cause for about a decade, said in a statement.

"Perhaps for the first time the common citizen is empowered to monitor and expose corruption and the arbitrary exercise of power,'' said Aruna Roy, a leading light of the movement and member, National Advisory Council on the CMP of the United Progressive Alliance.

"The enactment of this law is just the start of a process where the Government and its functionaries should become answerable to the people on a day to day basis,'' she said.

"The law itself would demand of the Government a better system of maintaining its records and a more effective and speedy system of grievance redressal. In short RTI offers an opportunity to change the culture within and outside the Government,'' Shekhar Singh, convener of NCPRI, noted. He said the NCPRI would make sure that more and more people come to know of this "landmark legislation'' and use it to improve their lives.

The highlights of the new law, passed after much debate and several rounds of drafting, according to NCPRI activists include a strong and independent commission as an appellate authority, both at the Centre and the State level, with the power to impose penalties.

The penalties for denial of information -- either by way of refusal to accept a request or giving false information/destroying information -- included fines and departmental action.

The Act is applicable to the Centre, the State Governments and also to the local bodies. It also provides for access to information from security and intelligence agencies on matters relating to corruption and human rights violations.

NCPRI, however is not happy with the "dilutions'' in the original draft like the deletion of provision of criminal liability in the case of mala fide supply of false information or destruction of information.

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