[rtitimes] Citizens' group opposes RTI relief for 3 probe agencies

Government keen to reduce the effective efficacy of the RTI Act, 2005, under its fear of the more exposures, particularly with regard to Black Money of Indian Corrupt Politicians, bureaucrats etc., in Swiss Banks. Whereas, working of all Investigating Agencies are required to transparent and open for public domain except in the matters of national security.

 

Milap Choraria 

 

Citizens' group opposes RTI relief for 3 probe agencies

TNN | May 19, 2011, 03.24am IST
NEW DELHI: Concerned over the government's attempt to exclude investigating agencies like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) from the ambit of the Right to Information Act, National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) said the move would be a major setback to the regime of transparency.

NCPRI has suggested that public consultations should be held to decide about the organizations that would enjoy relief under the Act. The opposition comes following the committee of secretaries' nod to a proposal to exempt these organizations from the Act.

The statement signed by activists like Aruna Roy, Prashant Bhushan and Venkatesh Nayak said, "Such a move will not only be a major setback to the regime of transparency established in the country, but also ensure that crucial state agencies remain opaque and unaccountable to the people. No public consultation has taken place around these issues despite the UPA Government promising in 2009 that the list of organizations already excluded from the RTI Act would be reviewed.''

NCPRI has argued that under section 24 of the RTI Act, intelligence and security organizations are exempt, while the three organizations are investigating authorities.

The statement has cited that the effectiveness of these investigating agencies has not been compromised till date. "The RTI Act has been operational for almost six years. In no instance has any sensitive information relating to the CBI or the NIA been disclosed under the RTI Act nor has the Central Information Commission ordered the disclosure of information that impeded their ability to investigate any matter,'' it stated.

NCPRI has also expressed concern over the exclusion of NATGRID from the Act, arguing very little information is in the public domain. NATGRID is expected to be a super-intelligence gathering agency for collecting and linking databases about citizens related to banking, credit or insurance records, finger prints or iris pattern records to counter terrorism.

In the absence of a privacy law, there will be no means to gain access or seek correction of personal data held by public authorities, NCPRI said.