Thursday 23 October 2014

Maharashtra Government removed state Anti Corruption Bureau from RTI ambit on election eve


The Maharashtra government cleared the resolution on September 6, just six days before the model code of conduct was enforced.The Prithviraj Chavan government passed a resolution that has insulated the state Anti Corruption Bureau from Right to Information Act, a few day before the model code of conduct came in to being.
The Maharashtra government cleared the resolution on September 6, just six days before the model code of conduct was enforced with the announcement of the Maharashtra election schedule announced by the EC.
The move is being seen as a sign to protect many of the Congress and NCPbigwigs who are facing cases of corruption against them. The ACB wants to conduct an 'open inquiry' against NCP leaders Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare, while Congress leader Kripashankar Singh already faces allegations of corruption against him and is also being investigated by the ACB.
"Once the people are not able to monitor the cases, then the investigating agencies can do what they want with the case. The move will only give rise to rampant corruption as the politicians and bureaucrats would know that even if there is a probe against them, it can easily be derailed during the investigation stage and no one would know." said RTI activist Anil Galgali.
Anil Galgali though said that considering how many NCP leaders from the party had joined the BJP, he is not hopeful of the BJP led government repealing the GR.

Friday 17 October 2014

No minimum percentage criteria in selection of Leader of Opposition post required

In the recently concluded Loksabha polls, the Congress party was denied the post of the Leader of Opposition by the Modi Govt by stating that the party lacks the minimum criteria of 10% strength out of the total 544 seats in Loksabha. But it has now been revealed vide response to a RTI query filed by Mumbai based RTI Activist Anil Galgali by the Loksabha secretariat that there is no percentage requirement for appointment of the Leader of Opposition.

RTI Activist Anil Galgali had filed a query with the Loksabha secretariat seeking information about the appointment of the Leader of Opposition. He sought to know what is the compulsary minimum percentage of strength required out of the total members of the Loksabha, he also sought the copies of the rules regarding the appointment and copies of order in this regard. In a reply to the query, Under Secretary of the Loksabha secretariat K Sona, informed that there is no minimum percentage prescribed for the selection of the Leader of Opposition.

Further the query regarding the requirement of Leader of Opposition for selection of heads of which institutions / commissions etc, the Secretariat has transferred the query to Law and judiciary ministry. Further it was also informed that in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Loksabha the post of the Leader of Opposition was vacant.

Further on the query that who is vested with the powers to appoint the Leader of Opposition, it was informed that the powers to appoint the Leader of Opposition was with the Loksabha Speaker. Also the copy of the letter written by Smt Sumitra Mahajan, Loksabha Speaker to Smt Sonia Gandhi was provided to Galgali where also it has been specified that the Speaker has the powers to appoint the Leader of Opposition. Recently Hon'ble Supreme Court had also expressed its displeasure over the lack of Leader of Opposition due to which important appointments such as Lokpal has been in limbo.

Anil Galgali has states that the Loksabha Speaker should act in positive conciençe and under the powers with it should resolve the issue of the appointment of the Leader of Opposition, as it has now become abjectly clear that there is no requirement of minimum percentage for appointment of LOP.

Thursday 9 October 2014

Modi Cabinet Members Declare Assets after a RTI query

PM Narendra Modi had instructed his council of Ministers to declare their and the families assets and libilities within 60 days of assuming office. Mumbai based RTI Activist Anil Galgali filed an RTI query with the PMO regarding seeking status of the declaration, but his query was tossed by authorities between the PMO and his President's office to buy time by which the Ministers declared their assets and liabilities.

Mumbai based RTI Activist Anil Galgali had filed an RTI query with the PMO on 24th August 2014, seeking information about the order of the PM to his ministers to declare their and their families assets and liabilities statement, he sought the copy of the order along with the list of ministers who have complied with the order and also the list of minister who were yet to comply with the order, he also sought the copy of the reminder letter sent to the ministers by the PM, He further sought the copy of the code of conduct and also sought to know by when would the information be uploaded and made online?. The Public Information Officer & Director in PMO Mr Syed Ikram Rizvi on receiving the RTI query transferred the query under section 6(3) of the RTI Act 2005 to the Ministerial Secretariat of the Presidents Office on 2nd September 2014. Acting on the same the Public Information Officer & Under Secretary in the Secretariat of the President's Office Mr S K Vailiyathan citing no information available with them once again transferred the query back to the PIO of PMO Mr Syed Ikram Rizvi. Regarding the query of Code of conduct & Making information online the query was transferred by the President's office to the Home Ministry under section 6(3) of RTI Act 2005..

A simple query of Anil Galgali was thus tossed around to delay the reply and pass time. Almost 46 days later also the query remains unanswered, on the contrary the Ministers Assets and liabilities was declared vide media news. Anil Galgali has now demanded that the PM must make this information available online at the earliest.