rti point of view: Modi is wrong when he claims the political class has opened itself to scrutiny

[Sajib Nandi 269]

It is reassuring for the nation to know that the highest executive functionary of the land considers himself to be bound or controlled by the Right to Information Act. But it is disconcerting that six national political parties, including the one which has chosen the Prime Minister and of which he is undoubtedly the most powerful leader, continue to blatantly defy a decision of the full bench of the Central Information Commission, the highest statutory authority for implementing the RTI Act, holding the six national political parties to be public authorities under the statute.

 

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[colnrkurup 390]

Political Parties are not public authorities. Naturally CIC has no jurisdiction over them. The CIC think themsleves to be poweful enough to issue unlawful orders. On what authority the CIC has summoned the President/Secretaries of National parties for hearing.? Maximum one can accept is their summoning the local head of the political party office who refused the information. If a Village Officer fail to complay with orders of SIC will he dare to summon the highest government authority i.e, the Pesident and PM of India ? It is high time that the CIC and SICs realise that their powers are limitted to awarding a penalty of maximum of s.25,000 to a PIO. It has no power even to enforce this order. Maximum they can do is to report to the Head of Department or Government. It cannot pursue the Head of Department or Government to enure compliance.