Karnataka - Bangalore   

Protest against RTI Act change

BANGALORE: A State-level conference on Right to Information Act on Sunday decided to intensify the protest against insertion of Rule 14 to Karnataka RTI Rules 2005, stating that the State Government did not have power to modify the intentions of the Central Act.

Participating in the conference organised by Consumer Rights Education and Awareness Trust (CREAT) here, RTI activists said the new rule infringed citizens’ right to get information from public authorities. The amendment has provided another ground for officials to refuse information. They said the amendment has thwarted the very intention of the Act, which has been derived from Article 19 of the Constitution.

Hirekodi Hegde, president of Citizens’ Forum, Kumta, said there were many cases where officials had refused to provide information sought. The amendment, he said, has given additional power to bureaucrats who are vary of parting with information, he said.

Y.G. Muralidharan of CREAT said the trust had already written to the Government expressing the people’s concern over the amendment. Without naming any, he said two major political parties have assured to nullify the amended Rule if they come to power, he said.

The conference is attended by more than 50 delegates.

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