Transparency? 8 of 29 State Info Commission hearings 'open for public to attend'

By Anjali Bhardwaj, Amrita Johri*

Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS) has compiled a Report Card on the performance of the 29 information commissions set up under the RTI Act across the country. The report can be accessed here.

Highlights of the report:

There is lack of diversity in the composition of information commissions, with nearly 60% commissioners being retired government officials. Merely 9% of all commissioners across the country have been women. Currently no commission is headed by a woman. 12 ICs (41%) have never ever had a woman commissioner since they were constituted- Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Telangana, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

Large number of cases are being returned by ICs: Several ICs were found to be returning a very large number of cases without passing any orders. The CIC and SICs of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Kerala returned 41% of the appeals/complaints received by them.

Tardy disposal rate: Several commissions have an extremely low rate of disposal per commissioner. The SICs of West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh had low annual disposal rates per commissioner even though a large number of cases were pending before each commission. Of all the 29 information commissions, only the CIC has adopted a norm regarding the number of appeals/complaints to be disposed by each commissioner in one year.

Lack of timely and transparent appointments: Many commissions are functioning at reduced capacity and without a Chief, due to governments not filling vacancies in a timely manner. SICs of Jharkhand, Telangana and Tripura are completely defunct as no new commissioners have been appointed upon the incumbents demitting office.

Low disposal rates and vacancies in commissions are leading to large backlog of cases and long waiting time for information seekers. The number of appeals and complaints pending on June 30, 2023 in the 28 information commissions, from which data was obtained, stood at nearly 4 lakh. Maharashtra SIC with an alarming backlog of 1.2 lakh had the highest number of cases pending as of June 30, 2023. People are having to wait for months, even years, to get their case heard. The estimated waiting time for disposal of a new case in West Bengal SIC was found to be 24 years & 1 month. In Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh SICs, estimated time for disposal was more than 4 years. The assessment shows that 12 ICs would take one year or more to dispose a matter.

Penalty was imposed in just 5% of the cases disposed by Information Commissions.

Opaque functioning: Only 8 of the 29 ICs stated that their hearings are open for members of the public to attend. Most stated that they do not have guidelines in place regarding open hearings while 6 ICs stated that they do not allow anyone other than the appellant/ complainant and respondent (or their representatives) to attend the proceedings of the commission. Out of 29 ICs, only three ICs live-stream their hearings- Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Manipur (though only for hearings held via video conferencing).

The SIC of Tamil Nadu was found to have the worst performance in terms of responsiveness under the RTI Act, furnishing none of the information sought.

---

*On behalf of Satark Nagrik Sangathan

Comments

70,000 migrants, sold on Canadian dream, face uncertain future: Canada reinvents the xenophobic wheel

By Saurav Sarkar* Bikram Singh is running out of time on his post-study work visa in Canada. Singh is one of about 70,000 migrants who were sold on the Canadian dream of eventually making the country their home but now face an uncertain future with their work permits set to expire by December 2024. They came from places like India, China, and the Philippines, and sold their land and belongings in their home countries, took out loans, or made other enormous commitments to get themselves to Canada.

Kerala government data implicates the Covid vaccines for excess deaths

By Bhaskaran Raman* On 03 Dec 2024, Mr Unnikrishnan of the Indian Express had written an article titled: “Kerala govt data busts vaccine death myth; no rise in mortality post-Covid”. It claims “no significant change in the death rate in the 35-44 age group between 2019 and 2023”. However, the claim is obviously wrong, even to a casual observer, as per the same data which the article presents, as explained below.

PM-JUGA: Support to states and gram sabhas for the FRA implementation and preparation and execution of CFR management plan

By Dr. Manohar Chauhan* (Over the period, under 275(1), Ministry of Tribal Affairs has provided fund to the states for FRA implementation. Besides, some states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra allocated special fund for FRA implementation. Now PM-JUDA under “Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan(DAJGUA) lunched by Prime Minister on 2nd October 2024 will not only be the major source of funding from MoTA to the States/UTs, but also will be the major support to the Gram sabha for the preparation and execution of CFR management Plan).

Operation Kagar represents Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism: Resistance continues

By Harsh Thakor Operation Kagar represents the Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism, which claims to embody the struggles and aspirations of Adivasis. Criminalized by the state, the Maoists have been portrayed as a threat, with Operation Kagar deploying strategies that jeopardize their activities. This operation weaves together economic, cultural, and political motives, allegedly with drone attacks on Adivasi homes.

How Amit Shah's statement on Ambedkar reflects frustration of those uncomfortable with Dalit assertion, empowerment

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Dr. B.R. Ambedkar remains the liberator and emancipator of India’s oppressed communities. However, attempts to box him between two Brahmanical political parties betray a superficial and self-serving understanding of his legacy. The statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha was highly objectionable, reflecting the frustration of those uncomfortable with Dalit assertion and empowerment.

Balod tech fest tests students’ interest in innovative ideas in the fields of science, engineering, start-ups

By Our Representative A techno fest scheduled on December 20 and 21 in Balod district of Chhattisgarh will test the innovative ideas of school students in the fields of science, engineering and start-ups. For this two-day fest organised at Maheswari Bhawan of the district, a total of 824 models made by students were initially registered. Out of those, a selection committee chose 200 models from several schools spread over five blocks of Balod. These will be on display on these two days from 10am to 4.30pm. Out of many ideas, one of the most interesting models is a smart glove which can be used by children with impairments and disabilities. For those who cannot speak at all or have speech difficulty, they can ask for help from caregivers by pressing their fingers on the glove after wearing it. This will attract attention.

Ideological assault on dargah of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti will disturb pluralistic legacy: Modi told

Counterview Desk Letter to the Prime Minister about "a matter of the utmost concern affecting our country's social fabric": *** We are a group of independent citizens who over the past few years have made efforts to improve the deteriorating communal relations in the country. It is abundantly clear that over the last decade relations between communities, particularly Hindus and Muslims, and to an extent Christians are extremely strained leaving these latter two communities in extreme anxiety and insecurity.

Defeat of martial law: Has the decisive moment for change come in South Korea?

By Steven Lee Late at night on December 3, soldiers stormed into South Korea’s National Assembly in armored vehicles and combat helicopters. Assembly staff desperately blocked their assault with fire extinguishers and barricades. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol had just declared martial law to “ eliminate ‘anti-state’ forces .”

Affable but arrogant, embodying contradictions, Raj Kapoor's legacy will endure as long as Bollywood exists

By Harsh Thakor* December 14 marks the birth centenary of Raj Kapoor, a filmmaker and visionary who revolutionized Bollywood, elevating it to new heights by exploring uncharted emotional and social territories. Kapoor wasn’t just a filmmaker; he was a storyteller who touched the souls of the masses and reflected the pulse of post-partition India with unparalleled depth. His films acted as a unifying force in a divided nation, transcending social and cultural boundaries.

Search This Blog