Hi Brinda
1) Check if these Committees ("body") are EXPLICITLY set up BY (as
distinguished from "under") the JJA 2000, in which case they are public
authorities. See section 2(h)(b) of RTIA'05
2) If they are not, and the JJA 2000 is merely an "enabling legislation"
requiring thee Committees to be in place, ferret out the order / notification
of the "appropriate government" which has established / constituted these
Committees. (This brings them squarely within 2(h)(d) as public authorities.)
THIS is your option in view of section 29 of the JJA which reads as follows
" 29. Child Welfare Committee.-(1) The State Government may, by
notification in Official Gazette, constitute for every district or group of
districts, specified in the notification, one or more Child Welfare Committees
for exercising the powers and discharge the duties conferred on such Committees
in relation to child in need of care and protection under this Act.
(2) The Committee shall consist of a Chairperson and four other members
as the State Government may think fit to appoint, of whom at least one shall be
a woman and another, an expert on matters concerning children.
(3) The qualifications of the Chairperson and the members, and the
tenure for which they may be appointed shall be such as may be prescribed.
(4) The appointment of any member of the Committee may be terminated,
after holding inquiry, by the State Government, if-
1. he has been found guilty of misuse of power vested under this Act;
2. he has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude, and
such conviction has not been reversed or he has not been granted full pardon in
respect of such offence;
3. he fails to attend the proceedings of the Committee for consecutive
three months without any valid reason or he fails to attend less than
three-fourth of the sittings in a year.
(5) The Committee shall function as a Bench of Magistrates and shall have
the powers conferred by the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) on a
Metropolitan Magistrate or, as the case may be, a Judicial Magistrate of the
first class. "
3) If even this fails, then search out the websites of concerned public
authorities (like departments / ministries) for their section 4(1)(b)(viii) for
statement of "committees". The info you want can then be accessed via 2(f) from
these P/As.
Hope this is clear :-)
Sarbajit
--- In [email protected], brinda adige <brindaad...@...> wrote:
>
> Dear Friends,
> I have a query-are the Child Welfares Committees constituted under the JJA
> 2000, 'public authorities' as defined by RTI-2005?
> Here in Bangalore the people claim not to fall within the purview of this
> RTI Act and hence disregard information sought by public under RTIA, some
> even asking in writing for what purposes would the applicant require the
> statistics of children in the various government / NGO shelter homes.
> Please enlighten.
> kind regards
> brinda
>
