Activists Threaten to Boycott PM Modi’s Address at RTI Convention

Chief Information Commissioner Th Ibobi Singh said that numerous public authorities are not fully aware of the RTI Act and they tend to ignore it.

He added “To bring transparency and accountability, the public should utilize the provisions given by the Indian Constitution through the Right to Information Act 2005”.To make people more aware of the Act, he said, the State Government should stress more on providing education facilities so that there are healthy competitions among the students.

He said, ‘ the Citizen is at the centre of the law, who can file any number of applications under the Act for information that is in the records of the Public Authorities, mostly Government Departments, subject to a few exemptions like Defence matters, etc. Another benefit of the Act has been that the Public Utilities are now mandated to keep their records up-to-date and ready for dissemination’.

The two-day convention, which is being organised on the theme, “RTI: Outlook for the future – Trust through Transparency”, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow. “Since its inception, the Central Information Commission has received 2.12 lakh complaints and appeals, of which 1.62 lakh have been disposed of in its adjudicatory role”. Service tax, according to RTI information, could be levied only on the services provided and hence, this was a sort of general education for the public by making good use of the Act.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the annual convention of Central Information Commission (CIC) here on October 16 during which issues pertaining to the Right to Information Act will be discussed on its 10th anniversary.

“It is severely restricted”.

He expressed that such approach have hampered the implementation of RTI and further urged all stakeholders to partake in making the State government more transparent and accountable to the people.

Ms Roy and five others invited for the PM’s session have said they will boycott it in solidarity with those who did not receive an invitation.

Social activist Aruna Roy, one of the invitees and a signatory to the resolution, alleged that this was happening under the “control” not “influence” of the government. “In the history of this government in one-and-a-half years, consultation has stopped and any time access to authority or free governance s so restricted”, Roy said at a press meet.

Dey said many of his colleagues were initially allowed to participate in the entire programme, only to be later asked to stay away from the inaugural session.