MUNICIPAL WASTE
Holding a municipality accountable

Hasmukh Dhumadiya describes the ordeal of residents of Bakshipunch Housing Society in Dwarka, Gujarat, and their efforts in overcoming it.

#Environment #Human Rights
DATA REVOLUTION IN THE ERA OF CENSORSHIP
It’s not only books and films that are censored!
DATA REVOLUTION IN THE ERA OF CENSORSHIP : It’s not only books and films that are censored!

In the shrill discourse over freedom of speech, the selective publication, and even overt suppression, of actionable development data is often overlooked. Amid calls for a next-gen data revolution, Biraj Swain highlights this and other challenges that lie in its path.

#Government #Laws
RTI-ON-WHEELS
The bus that brought in transparency in J&K flood relief

The RTI-on-Wheels, an initiative of Gujarat-based organisation Janpath and the Association for India's Development, has inspired the people of J&K to press for their right to information and to a government that works for them. L S Aravinda reports.

#Government #J & K
ATTACKS ON RTI ACTIVISTS
Does the government really want to protect whistleblowers?

Around 40 RTI activists in the country have been killed in recent years, several of them after the Whistleblowers Protection Act was passed. Satarupa Sen Bhattacharya explores why the said law has been unable to achieve its stated end.

#Law and Order #Government #Laws
RTI POWERS FOR THE CAG
What good is an auditor without information?

A recent letter written by the CAG Shashikant Sharma to the finance minister, seeking access to required information through RTI, exposes once more the lacunae in the powers of the Supreme Audit Institution. Himanshu Upadhyaya analyses the debate around the issue.

#Public Funds #Government #Laws
RIGHT TO INFORMATION
CIC: Delaying complaints against delays!

Anger and frustration is on the rise over inordinate delays by the Central Information Commission in responding to or inquiring into complaints from RTI appellants. Revathi Siva Kumar looks at what ails the institution.

#Laws
RTI & OTHER LAWS
Can a post box save the Indian whistle blower?

A recent court ruling allows RTI applicants to seek information without divulging their address, by simply citing a post box number. While this may partially stem the spate of attacks on activists, a lot more is needed to effectively shield whistle blowers, finds Navya P K.

#Justice System #Law and Order #RTI Law and Policy
CRIME STATISTICS
CRIME STATISTICS :

While researching suicide data published by the NCRB, Shambhu Ghatak files an RTI enquiry on how the Bureau identifies causes behind suicides and compiles the data across states to arrive at national figures. The response reveals the lack of clarity in the exercise.

#Exposes #Labour Issues
TRANSPARENCY OF POLITICAL PARTIES
/cic-rti--4
TRANSPARENCY OF POLITICAL PARTIES : /cic-rti--4
Indian political parties have been notorious for their opacity, particularly when it comes to questions of their funding. A recent quasi-judicial order bringing six large national parties within the ambit of the RTI Act 2005 might change that. A quick summary of the latest developments:
#Government #Laws
RTI IN ACTION
/rules-rti
RTI IN ACTION : /rules-rti
Governments have been changing the rules of the RTI Act, trying all sorts of things to dilute its provisions. Most of these are done without consulting the public. Navya P K reports.
#RTI Law and Policy
RTI APPOINTMENTS
/scorder-rti
RTI APPOINTMENTS : /scorder-rti
RTI activists across the country will be cheered by the apex court's order to make transparent appointments to the posts of Information Commissioners, and recognise the quasi-judicial nature of their functions. Krishnaraj Rao writes.
GOVT REPORTS
/cicruling-rti
GOVT REPORTS : /cicruling-rti
Central Information Commission asks MoEF to make an environment expert panel's report public, outlining arguments that could be used for disclosure of many other documents. Krishnaraj Rao writes.
#Environment
RTI RULES
RTI RULES :

The State has quietly pushed through a set of changes to the way it treats RTI applications. Activists discovered it quite accidentally, and are shocked. Krishnaraj Rao writes.

#MAHARASHTRA
RIGHT TO INFORMATION
RIGHT TO INFORMATION :

Under pressure from RTI campaigners, the department in charge of short-listing the candidates for appointment as Central Information Commissioners itself becomes more transparent.

LAWS
/whistle-laws
LAWS : /whistle-laws
The Whistleblowers Protection Bill moves closer to becoming law, as the Standing Committee on the draft law submits its latest report to Parliament. Kaushiki Sanyal reports.
#Laws
RTI AND MURDER
/niyamat-human-rights
RTI AND MURDER : /niyamat-human-rights
Niyamat Ansari fearlessly sought to secure for people their rights under the law. The political economy around the delivery of those rights, however, proved too vicious, and he was killed. Simrin Makhija reports.
#Human Rights
RIGHT TO INFORMATION
/lost-rti
RIGHT TO INFORMATION : /lost-rti
Too many RTI applicants are being fobbed by Public Information Officers saying the file being sought is lost. Well, in that case, ask what action has been taken per the Public Records Act, urges Krishnaraj Rao.
RIGHT TO INFORMATION
/cic-rti--2
RIGHT TO INFORMATION : /cic-rti--2
The new head of the nation's highest body for enforcement of the Right to Information Act has himself been appointed with little public awareness of the process or criteria used for his selection, writes Krishnaraj Rao.
RUBBER STAMP?
/nioeia-environment
RUBBER STAMP? : /nioeia-environment
The National Institute of Oceanography has repeatedly attested that the Adani group's projects in Kutch would not negatively impact the region's ecology, but admits this only reluctantly. Kanchi Kohli reports.
#Environmental Regulation #Fisheries #Environment #GUJARAT
RIGHT TO INFORMATION
/tnsic-rti
RIGHT TO INFORMATION : /tnsic-rti
The State Information Commissioners are supposed to uphold the RTI Act in their respective states. But their own appointments are shrouded in secrecy, writes Krishnaraj Rao.
#TAMILNADU
RTI FOR EVERYONE
/ningamani-op-ed
RTI FOR EVERYONE : /ningamani-op-ed
On learning that she could find out why her widow pension was being delayed, she made her grandson write out an RTI application on her behalf. When she got her pension, I realised how powerful this law could be, writes R Balasubramaniam.
#OP-ED
RIGHT TO INFORMATION
/apply-rti
RIGHT TO INFORMATION : /apply-rti
Civil society candidates should be eligible for appointment to key RTI posts in the States and the Centre. We must apply for such jobs, and help improve the system, writes Krishnaraj Rao.
ACCOUNTABILITY
/ntadcl-rti
ACCOUNTABILITY : /ntadcl-rti
Recently, the Chennai High Court ruled that a PPP project falls within the ambit of the RTI Act. The court's reasoning gives hope for a more liberal interpretation of the law itself in the future. Shripad Dharmadhikary reports.
#TAMILNADU

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