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Cabinet decisions come under RTI Act , sa ys Kerala CIC
In a significant development that may make government business more transparent, the Kerala Information Commission has ordered that all decisions by the state government, once finalized in the cabinet, come under the ambit of the RTI Act.The Commission also suggested that the government publish the cabinet decisions on its official website.“The details of all cabinet decisions should be given once the procedures regarding those decisions are completed. It also should be considered seriously to upload the cabinet decisions on the government website,” the Commission observed.
Gujarat High Court Stays CIC Order On PM Modi’s Degree
The Gujarat High Court issued a stay on an order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) asking the Gujarat University to provide details of the MA degree of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who had alleged that it was fake. A division bench of Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice VM Pancholi also issued notices to Central Information Commissioner M Sridhar Acharyulu and Kejriwal. The university had earlier approached a single bench of Justice SH Vora on June 20 seeking a stay on the CIC order, but it later approached the division bench after it failed to get relief from the court. In its application, the Gujarat University has stated that it “is not a party to any of the proceeding before the Information Commission. Hence, the order of the CIC is adverse to the interest of the University”.
Former CIC writes to Rajasthan CM on removal of Chapter on RTI from school books
The chapter was removed during a restructuring of school syllabus in the State. Former Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah has written to the Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje expressing displeasure at the removal of a chapter on the Right to Information (RTI ) Act from school text books in Rajasthan.The chapter on the law that was passed in 2005 to improve transparency in government was removed as part of the Rajasthan government’s revised school syllabus for the year 2016. The syllabus has also removed a page highlighting the Right to Information (RTI ) Act. According to reports, a prominent section on page 105, which was part of chapter 12 of the previous Social Science textbook for Class VIII in State schools, has now been removed in the “restructured” book.
Right to Information: A new journey begins
On June 24, 2016, Parliament of Sri Lanka unanimously adopted the Right to Information (RTI ) law.This marks the culmination of over two decades of advocacy by civil society groups and journalists. It also fulfills a key promise of the yahapalana government.Passing the law was no easy task, as it went through a year of drafting, judicial review by the Supreme Court, and considerable political scrutiny. The government and other political parties in Parliament – who rarely agree on anything – came together to pass the law without a vote.
