Dear Arun You may have missed this NCPRI "press release" http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/HumJanenge/message/25924
Sarbajit QUOTE "After the dharna, a representative delegation of 7 members, led by Aruna Roy and Shekhar Singh, went to meet the DoPT Secretary Shantanu Consul to discuss the current proposal regarding the amendments. The Secretary confirmed that a set of amendments are under consideration, but before any amendments are approved, the DoPT will follow a transparent and open consultative process. All further attempts at amending the law will be put on the DoPT website and affected parties and stakeholders will be consulted before the government considers any amendments to the law. The Secretary further assured the group that the minutes of the meetings held with the Information Commissioners in October 2009 will also be made available on the DoPT website soon." --- In [email protected], "Arun" <arun_agra...@...> wrote: > > > Sarabjit: > > Somethig is amiss here . > > Am reproducing the press release issued by NCPRI subsequent to the > meeting in DoPT . > > It makes no mention of a call on the Secretary S Consul anywhere ? > > *PRESS RELEASE* > > A team of the National Campaign for People's Right to Information > (NCPRI) > met with the Minister of State for Personnel, Shri PrthiviRaj Chavan, on > 16 > th November 2009 to discuss the proposed amendments to the RTI Act 2005. > The > team, led by Aruna Roy and Shekhar Singh, impressed upon the Minister > that > the need to have a public debate on the proposed amendments before any > final > decision was taken. The team also requested the Minister to put before > the > public any problems that the government might be having I implementing > the > RTI Act and give an opportunity to the people to suggest solutions that > would not involve n amendment to the law. > > Specifically, the team discussed with the Minister the proposed > exclusion of > the deliberative process, including file notings and suggested to the > Minister that the current exemptions in the RTI Act should be adequate > to > protect public interest. However, it invited the government to bring to > public notice any aspects of the deliberative process which was not > exempt > and whose disclosure might harm public interest. > > The team also discussed the proposed exclusion of the so called > "vexatious > and frivilous" applications and indicated to the Minister that not > only were > these impossible to define in a way in which they would not be rampantly > misused but that they were other more effective ways of ensuring that > such > applications did not adversely affect government functioning, including > the > more effective implementation of section 4 (proactive disclosure). The > team > also stressed the necessity to ensure that private bodies and NGOs > receiving > substantive funding from the government remained within the purview of > the > RTI Act. > > The Minister appreciated the points made by the NCPRI team and assured > the > members that the government would not take a final decision on the > matter > before consulting the people. To that end, he indicated that the > government > would prepare a position paper, which would remain public and would lead > to > public consultations. > > On another suggestion the Minister favourably reacted to the idea of > setting > up an RTI advisory council to provide a forum for on- going interaction > between the government and the people. > > > > *For more information contact: Ankita Anand: 9810382973* > > > > National Campaign for People's Right to Information > > > > >
