Page 2 - Right To Information

As Narendra Modi's image takes a global beating, even India gets singed

The image of India as a seriously flawed democracy is also likely to get deeply etched in international psyche and that may take a very long time to undo

RTI practised by govt: Chidambaram's dig over economic data 'suppression'

Chidambaram's remarks come after a media report cited the latest consumption expenditure survey by the NSO to claim that consumer spending fell for the first time in more than four decades in 2017-18

Govt reducing need for filing RTI by putting info in public domain: Shah

The RTI Act has bridged the gap between the people and the government, and addressed mistrust, he said

Tenure erosion can be a subversive tool

If the law protects the tenure, the office-bearer is ring-fenced from acting under fear of being sacked

Letter to BS: RTI not only jams up govt work but also that of the courts

RTI has been of no help in addressing these severe social problems

Letter to BS: RTI amendments dilute common citizens' right to information

By limiting the freedom and autonomy of information commissioners, the amendments undermine the Right to Information (RTI) Act and deprive people of a powerful tool for empowerment

Illusion of empowerment: Why we must oppose any law that makes RTI illusory

The RTI (Amendment) Bill, 2019, eats into the independence of Information Commissioners, hollowing out the Act without touching on any of the substantive rights or procedural rights the Act provides

'Spirit of RTI Act killed', says Opposition as Lok Sabha passes amendment

The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019, takes away the stature of information commissioners from equivalent of election commissioners

Coal blocks contracts should be made public under RTI: Chhattisgarh panel

State information commission rejects state-owned power company's contention that the information won't serve public purpose.

Madhya Pradesh man gets 3,000 letters as reply to RTI from I-T dept

'Instead of sending me a consolidated reply, the CBDT forwarded my application to IT offices across India'

Govt says can't reveal number of sanctions sought to prosecute IPS officers

The Home ministry said since there was no public interest in the disclosure of the information it cannot be provided

Record RTI applications filed in 2017-18, lowest rejected since 2005: CIC

The four per cent rejection rate is the lowest since 2005 when the RTI Act was enacted by Parliament

Celebrating a braveheart

No one was surprised when Rajendra Singh was found shot and killed in broad daylight, not far from the local police station

CIC flays I-T 'informer' for using RTI to earn money

Gupta contended that since the incentive to reveal such income-related information helps the state to enhance income, it is in public interest and, thus, he can also seek the same, the order of the Bench noted

Letters: Ask the right questions

With reference to the Chinese Whispers item, "Think before you ask" (September 27), the advisory from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Right to Information (RTI) appears justifiably rational and perhaps, is applicable to the many, who keep asking questions or seeking information without doing their "homework".According to the report, PMO desires that (a) information already available in the public domain need not be sought under RTI, (b) information should be sought from the ministries/departments concerned and (c) PMO should not be expected to collate information from different authorities/agencies and furnish it to the seeker.Prima facie, the guidance does not appear to be aimed at avoiding responsibility or one coming out of stress. It is another matter that the refinements proposed may reduce the comfort level of some RTI "activists", who misguide their "clientele", giving an impression that RTI is a shortcut for solving every problem in which the government or any other body