Diluting Right to Information Act means going back to the Bad Old Days The Central Right to Information

(RTI) Act came into force on Oct 12 throughout the country. In Maharashtra, the state RTI Act has been in force for the last few years, and the new central act replaces it. A lot of people have used it to try to bring some measure of accountability to a callous bureaucracy and a criminal political class. The experience of Maharashtra residents has shown how useful for good governance an effective RTI Act can be. We, in Hiranandani Gardens, have found it an invaluable tool in our efforts to preserve the environment and the beauty of our complex. We have been able to requisition copies of government approvals which have made it much easier to trace the birth of bad decisions. Alarmed by how effective the Act can be in calling those responsible to account, those affected are trying furiously to return to the bad old days. The efforts started even before the new law came into effect. The bureaucracy (the Department of Personnel and Training of the Central Government) has taken the first step in this direction. Its website declares that file notings (the place where the bureaucrat reveals his mind) are not covered by the RTI. Now the politicians are reported to be getting ready to do their bit by actually bringing an amendment to the Act which would exempt such notings from being requisitioned. This is nonsensical. If the citizen cannot find out what grounds the decision-makers put forth for taking a particular decision, how can the process be subjected to a healthy, democratic scrutiny. Experience has long shown that the notings are specious, rest on flimsy assumptions and are often serve the deeper, unsaid, corrupt agenda that the decision-maker has. They can be so because there has been, until now, no danger of their being challenged. We must protest this flagrant undermining of citizens rights in a country that calls itself the worlds largest democracy. The argument will be made that the decision-makers need a sense of confidentiality to take decisions without fearing reprisals. This would be a convincing argument if the cover had not been used for decades in our country to oppress people, to transfer public monies to private pockets, and to deprive the common man of basic justice. The argument might work when the state has demonstrated its credentials as a benign guide to its citizens. In India, it does not work. At least, not yet. I urge all readers to write to the senior-most decision makers in the country to protest this move. Only a significant opposition will convince them that it is unacceptable to the people at large. Those of us who have the ability to write and speak owe a responsibility to those who are oppressed even more, but are unable to make themselves heard. The contact details of some of these people are given below: 1) Dr. Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of India Room No. 152, South Block New Delhi - 110011 Fax: (011) 23016857/23019545 Email: pmosd@pmo.nic.in 2) Mr. Suresh Pachouri Minister of State for Personnel and Public Grievances Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pension Room No. 102, North Block New Delhi - 110001 Fax: (011) 23092716 Email: yes_pachouri.yahoo.co.in

3) Mr. H R Bharadwaj Minister of Law and Justice Room No. 402, A - Wing Shastri Bhawan, Dr Rajendra Prasad Road New Delhi - 110001 Fax: (011) 23015223 Email: lawminister.india@nic.in 4) Smt. Sonia Gandhi Chairperson, National Advisory Council 2 Motilal Nehru Place, New Delhi - 110011 Fax: (011) 23018646 Email: 10janpath@vsnl.net Ideally, please write a long, reasoned, even impassioned letter. If you do not have the time for that, even one line, saying that you protest the move to dilute RTI Act by exempting various parts of government files from its scope will have an effect.