[Commons-Law] RTI activists sore over curbs

[Prashant Iyengar]

http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c.php?leftnm=10&autono=323790
Fri May 23 2008 14:56:06 GMT+0530 (India Standard Time)
RTI activists sore over curbs
BS Reporter / Chennai/ Mysore May 23, 2008, 3:59 IST

Consumer activists across Karnataka are unhappy over an amendment
brought about by the state government curbing the right to seek
information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Following a recommendation by the Karnataka Information Commission, a
new rule has been inserted to the Karnataka RTI Rules 2005 limiting
information to 'one subject matter' and the request not to exceed 150
words.

Following the new Rule 14, which has come into effect from March 17, a
person has to seek information on only one subject matter now and his
poser should not exceed 150 words. If he wants information on more
than one subject, he should make a separate application by paying fee
of Rs 10 again.

Around 50 consumer activists working in the area of RTI in Karnataka
discussed at a seminar in Bangalore on May 18 the impact of the
amendment and strategies to keep RTI strong and campaign against Rule
14. The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) of New Delhi and
Bangalore's Consumer Rights Education & Awareness Trust (CREAT) had
jointly organized the programme.

The RTI activists noted with concern that the recommendation to amend
the rules has been made by the Karnataka Information Commission itself
against its objective of protecting the interests of the
information-seekers.

The reason given by the Commission was that the Public Information
Officers (PIOs) are receiving a very large number of applications
seeking voluminous information. The activists took strong exception to
the Commission's recommendation to impose restrictions on the
admissibility of questions. They criticized the Governor for amending
the rule in the absence of an elected government in the State, and
without inviting public objections.

CREAT's Y G Muralidharan said the new rule placed unlawful limitations
on the fundamental right to information and had potential for misuse.
He felt that measures to handle voluminous information could have been
considered within the scope of the Act itself., under Section 7 (9) of
the Act.

Bangalore's Kriya Katte Convener M V K Anil Kumar said the amendment
came in the way of RTI objective of transparency. Chikmagalur's Save
Western Ghat Movement organising secretary G Gorasukudige observed it
imposed further burden on the PIOs and the Commission. K N Venktagiri
Rao of Consumers' Education and Welfare Trust, Sagar, said limiting
words to 150 was unscientific.

Explaining the legal situation, Bangalore's Vivekananda Law College
Principal K B Kempe Gowda said the new rule curtailed the right to
information, but did not take it away. However, the principles of
natural justice was ignored.

The seminar unanimously demanded withdrawal of the amendment failing
which it decided to initiate steps to oppose it.