i have called a meeting of all rti activists of uttar pradesh at my
residence on 02-08-11 and we have decided to move to hogh court
against this illegal decision of uttar pradesh government

regards

urvashi sharma
coordinator-upcpri
9369613513

On 8/1/12, Venkatesh Nayak <venkatesh-VldVBIePPc7rfyPWP6PaXg+gnn+XHhfY2LY78lusg7I@public.gmane.org> wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> The empire strikes back again. Stung by the efficacy of the right to
> information (RTI) in unearthing corruption in places high and low,
> governments in India are hacking away at the seven-year old regime of
> transparency. The Samajwadi Party-led Government in Uttar Pradesh (UP) has
> launched the latest broadside against the transparency law. Yesterday the
> State Cabinet decided to notify the Lokayukta as an exempt organization
> under Section 24(4) of the Right to Information Act (RTI Act). For news
> clippings on the subject please click on the following links:
>
>
>
> 1)
> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Uttar-Pradesh-cabinet-keeps-Lokayuk
> ta-outside-RTI-Act-ambit/articleshow/15299891.cms (Times of India)
>
>
>
> 2)
> http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/uttar-pradesh-cabin
> et-keeps-lokayukta-out-of-rti-act-purview/articleshow/15291301.cms
> (Economic
> Times)
>
>
>
> 3) http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=770584 (Outlook)
>
>
>
>
>
> What does Section 24(4) of the RTI Act say?
>
> Section 24(4) of the RTI Act empowers the State Governments to notify in
> the
> Official Gazette 'security' and 'intelligence' organisations that will be
> exempted from ordinary obligations of transparency and information
> disclosure unlike other public authorities. Once notified, such bodies will
> be liable only to provide information about allegations of corruption and
> human rights violation to a requestor. Information about allegations of
> human rights violation will be provided only with the concurrence of the
> State Information Commission and within forty five days. The State
> Government has an obligation to table the list of organisations notified in
> this manner in the Legislative Assembly. Readers will recall that the
> Central Government has notified 25 organisations as being exempt from
> ordinary obligations of transparency under the RTI Act.
>
>
>
> What is problematic with the UP Government's decision?
>
> A spokesperson for the Samajwadi Party justified on Indian News Channel,
> last night, that excluding the Lokayukta from ordinary obligations of the
> RTI Act will help improve transparency in the functioning of that body and
> also promote efficiency. This logic simply stumps me. Nevertheless, the
> reasons as to why this decision is bad in law are given below in brief:
>
>
>
> i) Section 24(4) permits the exemption of only
> 'security'
> and 'intelligence' organisations. For an organisation to qualify for this
> exemption it must perform either function, i.e. be involved in providing
> security-related services or be responsible for gathering intelligence.
> These must be the primary functions of such a body. The Lokayukta is
> neither
> a security nor an intelligence organisation. It is primarily a body
> invested
> with powers to conduct inquiries and investigations into allegations of
> corruption leveled against Ministers and bureaucrats. The Lokayukta simply
> does not qualify for exemption under Section 24(4). The UP Cabinet decision
> amounts to a misinterpretation of the RTI Act. Earlier between 2008-09 the
> Bahujan Samaj Party-led government in UP had notified the Civil Aviation
> Department and a host of other subjects (and not departments) such as the
> appointment of the Governor and judges of the High Courts as being exempt
> under the RTI Act. Thanks to public and political pressure some of these
> matters were brought back into the regime of transparency. The Hon'ble
> Allahabad High Court struck down the notification exempting the civil
> aviation department as it violated the letter and spirit of Section 24
> (copy
> of the judgement is attached and also accessible on our website at:
> http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/postoftheday/NAPM
> <http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/postoftheday/NAPM&Othrs-v-StateofUP-Al
> lHC-Jan12.pdf> &Othrs-v-StateofUP-AllHC-Jan12.pdf ). It looks like the
> Allahabad High Court must be moved again to bring the Lokayukta back within
> the ambit of the RTI Act.
>
>
>
> ii) The decision of the State Government also smacks of
> ignorance of the objectives behind the adoption of the RTI Act. The RTI Act
> is required to not only engender transparency in government and create an
> informed citizenry, but also to contain corruption. This is clearly stated
> in the Preamble of the RTI Act. Ignoring this imperative the Central
> Government exempted the Central Bureau of Investigation from the purview of
> the RTI Act last year. Earlier in 2008 the Government of Tamil Nadu
> exempted
> the State Vigilance Commission and the Directorate of Vigilance and
> Anti-Corruption from the purview of the RTI Act by similarly misusing
> Section 24. The spokespersons and counsels for these Governments held
> publicly and in Court, that secrecy is necessary to ensure proper
> investigation and prosecution in corruption cases. Effective and efficient
> investigation of corruption cases is indeed an important public interest
> and
> it must be protected. Parliament included Section 8(1)(g) and (h) in the
> RTI
> Act for this very purpose, Any information whose disclosure may impede the
> investigation or prosecution process or may endanger the life of informers
> who provide clues about corrupt acts of Ministers and Officers may be
> denied
> under these provisions. There is simply no need to exempt the entire
> anti-corruption agency from the ambit of the RTI Act.
>
>
>
> iii) Fairplay and justice die quick deaths behind closed
> doors. The Karnataka Lokayukta was covered first under the State's own RTI
> Act and later under the Central Act. Many of us believe that it has been
> most effective under the leadership of Justice N Venkatachala, Justice
> Santosh Hegde and others despite being covered by transparency laws. There
> is no reason why other anti-corruption bodies should shy away from
> transparency. The UP Government's decision is also a clear violation of the
> United Nations Convention Against Corruption which India ratified last
> year.
> Article 5(1) of the UNCA requires Indian Governments to develop and
> implement an anti-corruption policy that is informed by transparency
> amongst
> other values.
>
>
>
> "1. Each State Party shall, in accordance with the fundamental principles
> of
> its legal system, develop and implement or maintain effective, coordinated
> anti-corruption policies that promote the participation of society and
> reflect the principles of the rule of law, proper management of public
> affairs and public property, integrity, transparency and accountability."
> (full text of the UNCAC is accessible at:
> http://www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNCAC/Publications/Convention/08-500
> 26_E.pdf)
>
>
>
> iv) Last but not the least, the exemption under Section
> 24(4)
> is not absolute. Information about allegations of corruption cannot be
> denied by an exempt agency. Nothing in this proviso to the exemption states
> that the allegations must be only against the officials working with the
> exempt organization. If the information is "held by" the exempt body and if
> it is about corruption allegations then such information cannot be denied
> under the RTI Act. So what then is the purpose served by exempting the
> Lokayukta and other similarly placed bodies from the RTI Act?
>
>
>
> This is one of the many attacks being launched against the transparency
> regime by the very system which the RTI Act seeks to transform. I urge all
> readers to write to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and the legislators
> representing your constituency seeking withdrawal of the decision to exempt
> the UP Lokayukta from the RTI Act.
>
>
>
> In order to access our previous email alerts on RTI and related issues
> please click on:
> http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/index.php?option=com_content
> <http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=arti
> cle&id=65&Itemid=84> &view=article&id=65&Itemid=84 You will find the links
> at the top of this web page. If you do not wish to receive these email
> alerts please send an email to this address indicating your refusal.
>
> Thanking you,
>
> Yours sincerely,
>
> Venkatesh Nayak
>
> Programme Coordinator
>
> Access to Information Programme
>
> Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative
>
> B-117, First Floor, Sarvodaya Enclave
>
> New Delhi- 110 017, INDIA
>
> Tel: +91-11-43180215/ 43180201
>
> Fax: +91-11-26864688
>
> Skype: venkatesh.nayak-eK/Ak3wwDTYAvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org
>
> Alternate Email: nayak.venkatesh-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org
>
> Website: www.humanrightsinitiative.org
>
>
>
>

--
- Urvashi Sharma
Right to Information Helpline 8081898081
Helpline Against Corruption 9455553838
http://yaishwaryaj-seva-sansthan.hpage.co.in/

प्रती , 

http://www.moneylife.in/article/now-let-the-rti-act-be-ingrained-at-the-educational-level/27446.html

Now, let the RTI Act be ingrained at the educational level

Vinita Deshmukh | 02/08/2012 08:31 AM |

For the RTI Act to become more effective and used by young citizens,
including it in the educational curriculum is being taken up
seriously. While the government is in discussions with the NCERT about
its implementation, Symbiosis has initiated a unique RTI programme for
its media students

While the RTI (Right to Information) Act in India is being currently
used by activists and thousands of citizens who have learnt through
self-learning or workshops, the government is seriously discussing
with the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)
to introduce it as a lesson in schools and colleges.

Ten-year old Aishwarya Parashar of Lucknow created history by filing a
RTI query regarding the garbage dump outside her school and had a
library established in its place. In February this year, she created a
flutter by sending a RTI query to the PMO office, asking for the order
that gave Gandhiji the status of the “Father of the Nation”. She is a
mini-activist with youngsters asking her RTI queries or doubts on her
mobile or email, and she quickly responds to them. This shows that if
school children are educated, they can become active RTI users and
help in monitoring governance or satiating curiosity.

Last fortnight Nepal, which implemented its RTI Act in 2007,
introduced the subject in the mass communication curriculum in its
secondary schools. For this, a leading RTI organisation, Freedom
Forum, continuously lobbied for educating students on right to
information, since the last two years. Finally, the Curriculum
Development Centre (CDC) under the ministry of education introduced
it.

In Maharashtra, the discussion to include a lesson of RTI in the
civics subject was talked about fervently in the early 2000s but is
yet to see reality. At that time too, discussions were almost bearing
fruition. RTI activists had lobbied for the introduction, in order
that the citizen-friendly RTI Act is ingrained at that impressionable
age and becomes known as everyone’s tool for pro-active participation
in our democracy rather than a weapon in just the hands of few.

Many media colleges in India do touch upon the subject of RTI but not
enough to inspire young journalists to use it as a key tool for their
stories as they are not familiarized with it, comprehensively. Pioneer
of RTI movement, Aruna Roy insists that since 2005 when RTI Act was
introduced, journalists can take pride in procuring government
documents themselves by using RTI and thus skirting the traditional
“official source” which may have vested interest and may not provide
the whole truth. However, the RTI use in media fraternity is quite
low. Hence, it is appreciable that the Symbiosis Institute of Media &
Communication (SIMC), Pune, has recently initiated a unique RTI
familiarization and uses the programme for students to inculcate the
wide use of this tool for investigative and informative journalism.

A fortnight back, 300 under-graduate and post-graduate students of
Symbiosis Institute of Media & Communication, Symbiosis Law College
and Symbiosis School of Economics filed RTI applications in subjects
of their interest. The issues addressed were varied and the lesson on
how to write RTI applications was monitored by noted RTI activist
Nikhil Dey, member of MKSS (Mazdoor Kishan Shakti Sangthan) and RTI
activist Bhaskar Prabhu, founder of Mahiti Adhikar Manch. Presently,
these RTI applications are being classified as per ‘city’ and
‘subjects’ after which Pune-related RTI queries would be sent to the
respective public authorities by the students.

This exercise was conducted at the second, two day seminar of
Symbiosis Institute of Media & Communication, Pune. Pioneering RTI
crusader Aruna Roy was the chief guest of the seminar and addressed
students on the importance of using RTI as a tool for investigative
journalism. While SIMC has a chapter on RTI Act in its Media & Civic
Affairs subject, since March it has embarked upon a full-fledged
practical orientation programme to the subject through a series of
workshops and seminars to be held in the academic year. In order to
amplify the knowledge and use of RTI, SIMC is preparing a RTI manual
for journalists based on the two seminars, which would be available
online as well as in print in a book form, for the benefit of students
and journalists across the country.

It all started after stalwart journalist Dileep Padgaonkar took over
as professor, RK Laxman Chair, of the Symbiosis International
University in November last year. Elaborating the reason behind making
RTI an important subject amongst media students, Mr Padgaonkar says,
“some of the major scams in the past five years were revealed through
RTI activists. The media saw the news worthiness and subsequently took
it on as a systematic campaign. That’s when I realised that RTI must
be used as a tool to improve the quality of journalism and the basic
principle was to know how to pit the power of truth against the truth
of power and therefore I thought, what is required, is a systematic
expression of the history of RTI Act, its achievement, the risks
involved as well as exposure of filing RTI applications, the follow up
required and after that, the need to get to the other side of the
story from the incriminated source.”

Dr Eshwar Anand, professor of journalism and media studies, who is
steering this programme, states if students are well-trained in the
RTI Act and on how to file requests at the college-level itself, they
would become good journalists. “Earlier, there was a cloak of secrecy
around government offices and it was tough for journalists to get to
the truth. Now, barring some exemptions in the law, the young
journalist can access documents of civic affairs or those of national
importance. However, because training is lacking during his/her media
education days, most young journalists in our country are indifferent
to this powerful tool which can open up information quickly including
file notings. We will hopefully equip students with the necessary
confidence to file RTI, besides educating them about the law.”

With the government attempts to dilute the RTI Act every now and
then, RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar believes that enlightening young
minds on this law will throw up a whole new generation of RTI-informed
citizens, making it difficult for the government to muddle around.

(Vinita Deshmukh is the consulting editor of Moneylife, an RTI
activist and convener of the Pune Metro Jagruti Abhiyaan. She is the
recipient of prestigious awards like the Statesman Award for Rural
Reporting which she won twice in 1998 and 2005 and the Chameli Devi
Jain award for outstanding media person for her investigation series
on Dow Chemicals. She co-authored the book “To The Last Bullet - The
Inspiring Story of A Braveheart - Ashok Kamte” with Vinita Kamte. She
can be reached at vinitapune <at> gmail.com)

http://www.moneylife.in/article/now-let-the-rti-act-be-ingrained-at-the-educational-level/27446.html

http://m.indiatoday.in/story/hockey-not-our-national-game-sports-ministry-rti-query/1/211480.html

Courtesy: Mail Today
Hockey is not our national game, says Sports Ministry in reply to an RTI query
Piyush Srivastava
Lucknow, Thursday, August 2, 2012 | 16:43 IST

Children in school learn that hockey is the national game of India. It
is also there in any book of general knowledge. Even in competitive
examinations, an aspirant is expected to know that hockey is our
national game. But now the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
has replied to an RTI query that India has not notified any national
game as such.

Ten-year-old Aishwarya Parashar had asked the Prime Minister's Office
(PMO) when the government of India had notified hockey as a national
game.

But SPS Tomar, Under Secretary, Union Ministry of Youth Affairs has
replied that there was no such record available in his archive.

"I haven't come across any official order or notification in the
ministry saying that hockey is our national game. It is known to be a
national game in general parlance," Tomar has stated.

"I had asked the government when hockey was notified as national game.
The question assumes significance in the backdrop of the fact that we
have been learning since Class I that hockey is our national game. We
attach this game with our nationalism and take pride in the fact that
Indian hockey team has been the most successful in the history of
Olympics. We have won eight gold, one silver and two bronze medals in
Olympics in past," Aishwarya said.

"Interestingly, the government of India website calls hockey our
national game but as per the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs, India
has no national game as such," she said.

Previously, Aishwarya, a Class VI student, had also brought to the
knowledge of the people that Mahatma Gandhi was never identified by
the Government of India as Father of the Nation.

In reply to her RTI query to the PMO in March this year, she was
informed that as per the public records in the National Archives of
India, there was no specific document to support the popular claim
that the government had bestowed on Gandhi the honour of Father of the
Nation

http://m.indiatoday.in/story/hockey-not-our-national-game-sports-ministry-rti-query/1/211480.html

National Days

http://www.india.gov.in/myindia/myindia_frame.php?id=5

Independence Day

The Independence Day of India, which is celebrated religiously
throughout the Country on the 15th of August every year, holds
tremendous ground in the list of national days, since it reminds every
Indian about the dawn of a new beginning, the beginning of an era of
deliverance from the clutches of British colonialism of more than 200
years. It was on the fateful morning of 15th August 1947 that India
was declared independent from British colonialism, and the reins of
control were handed over to the leaders of the Country. India’s
gaining of independence was a tryst with destiny, as the struggle for
freedom was a long and tiresome one, witnessing the sacrifices of many
freedom fighters, who laid down their lives on the line. View the
webcast of Independence Day celebrations (External website that opens
in a new window).

Republic Day

India became a Republic when the Constitution of the Country came into
force on 26th January 1950, thereby defining it as a Sovereign
Socialist Democratic Republic with a Parliamentary form of Government,
through the Preamble. The Indian Constitution, which was adopted by
the Constituent Assembly after considerable discussions represented
the framework of the Government of the Country. Henceforth, 26th
January has been recognized and celebrated as India’s Republic Day
with great ardour , and is decreed a national holiday. The event is a
constant reminder of the selfless deeds of all martyrs of the Country,
who laid down their lives in the freedom struggle and various
succeeding wars against foreign aggression. View the webcast of
Republic Day celebrations (External website that opens in a new
window).

Gandhi Jayanti

The 2nd of October is dedicated to the Father of the Nation, Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi when the whole Nation celebrates Bapu's birthday.
This day serves to remind all Indians of the sacrifices this apostle
of peace gave, to bestow upon the country the gift of Independence.
His ideas of Non-Violent Resistance to the British colonial rule has
never failed to inspire later generations to live a life of
brotherhood in a peace loving Country. He worked extensively for the
social upliftment of the untouchables, who he called “Harijans”, and
was the leader of the “Quit India Movement,” which served as a final
signal of discontent to the British dominion in India.

Source: National Portal Content Management Team Last Reviewed on 25-01-2010

=============================================================

राष्‍ट्रीय दिवस

http://bharat.gov.in/myindia/myindia_frame.php?id=5

स्‍वतंत्रता दिवस

भारत का स्‍वतंत्रता दिवस, जिसे हर वर्ष 15 अगस्‍त को देश भर में हर्ष
उल्‍लास के साथ मनाया जाता है, इसमें अनेक राष्‍ट्रीय दिवसों की खुशी
शामिल है, क्‍योंकि यह प्रत्‍येक भारतीय को एक नई शुरूआत की याद दिलाता
है, 200 वर्ष से अधिक समय तक ब्रिटिश उपनिवेशवाद के चंगुल से छूट कर एक
नए युग की शुरूआत हुई थी। वह 15 अगस्‍त 1947 का भाग्‍यशाली दिन था जब
भारत को ब्रिटिश उपनिवेशवाद से स्‍वतंत्र घोषित किया गया और नियंत्रण की
बाग डोर देश के नेताओं को सौंप दी गई। भारतीय द्वारा आजादी पाना उसका
भाग्‍य था, क्‍योंकि स्‍वतंत्रता संघर्ष काफी लम्‍बे समय चला और यह एक
थका देने वाला अनुभव था, जिसमें अनेक स्‍वतंत्रता सेनानियों ने अपने जीवन
कुर्बान कर दिए। स्‍वतंत्रता दिवस आयोजनों का वेब कास्‍ट देखें (बाहरी
वेबसाइट जो एक नई विंडों में खुलती हैं)।

गणतंत्र दिवस

भारत देश एक गणतंत्र बना जब 26 जनवरी 1950 को देश का संविधान लागू हुआ और
इस प्रकार यह सरकार के संसदीय रूप के साथ एक संप्रभुताशाली समाजवादी
लोक‍तांत्रिक गणतंत्र के रूप में सामने आया भारतीय संविधान, जिसे देश की
सरकार की रूपरेखा का प्रतिनिधित्‍व करने वाले पर्याप्‍त विचार विमर्श के
बाद विधान मंडल द्वारा अपनाया गया तब से 26 जनवरी को भारत के गणतंत्र
दिवस के रूप में भारी उत्‍साह के साथ मनाया जाता है और इसे राष्‍ट्रीय
अवकाश घोषित किया जाता है। यह आयोजन हमें देश के सभी शहीदों के
नि:स्‍वार्थ बलिदान की याद दिलाता है, जिन्‍होंने आजादी के संघर्ष में
अपने जीवन खो दिए और विदेशी आक्रमणों के विरुद्ध अनेक लड़ाइयां जीती।
गणतंत्र दिवस आयोजन का वेब कास्‍ट देखें (बाहरी वेबसाइट जो एक नई विंडों
में खुलती हैं)।

गाँधी ज़यंती

2 अक्‍तूबर का दिन राष्‍ट्रपिता के प्रति समर्पित है। जब देश मोहन दास
करम चन्‍द्र गांधी का जन्‍मदिन मनाता है तो वही राष्‍ट्र के बापू का
जन्‍मदिन है। यह दिन शांति के दूत की इस कुर्बानी की याद सभी भारतीय
नागरिकों को दिलाती है, ताकि वे स्‍वतंत्रता के इस उपहार को सच्‍चे
अर्थों में ग्रहण कर सकें। अहिंसात्‍मक प्रतिरोध द्वारा ब्रिटिश
उपनिवेशवाद कानून के प्रति कोई प्रतिरोधकता की भावना कभी असफल नहीं रही
है जिसने देश में रहने वाले नागरिकों के बीच आपसी भाई चारे का जीवन जीने
की भावना को प्रबल बनाया है। उन्‍होंने अस्‍पृश्‍य, जिन्‍हें वे 'हरिजन'
कहते थे, के सामाजिक उत्‍थान के लिए गहन रूप से कार्य किया है और बाद में
वे 'भारत छोड़ो आंदोलन' के नेता थे, जिसने भारत में ब्रिटिश प्रभुत्‍व के
प्रति असंतोष का पहला संकेत दिया।

स्रोत: राष्‍ट्रीय पोर्टल विषयवस्‍तु प्रबंधन दल

Govt to review its portal article on hockey as national game

http://www.business-standard.com/generalnews/news/govt-to-review-its-portal-articlehockey-as-national-game/40631/

Press Trust of India / New Delhi August 05, 2012, 09:35

The Government has decided to review the article on hockey posted
under the National Game category on its website 'www.India.Gov.In'
which gave an impression that it is the national game of the country.

The step comes after discrepancy in the article and the government's
position were made clear in an RTI reply by the Sports Ministry
recently.

The Sports Ministry in an RTI reply had said that it has not declared
any sport as national game whereas the web portal of the government
'www.India.Gov.In' has posted an article glorifying hockey under the
heading National Game.

After the discrepancy was reported, the website has added "content
under review" next to the heading in the article, indicating that the
apparent status could be reviewed.

The website, which is the official portal of the Government, is
designed, developed and hosted by the National Informatics Centre
under the Ministry of Information Technology.

"The content in this portal is the result of a collaborative effort of
various Indian Government Ministries and Departments, at the
Central/State/District level," the portal says.

Lucknow-based Aishwarya Parashar, a 10-year-old student, had filed an
RTI seeking certified copies of orders related to declaration of the
National anthem, song, sport, animal, bird, flower and symbol from the
Prime Minister's Office.

The Sports Ministry said in the reply that the Ministry has not
declared any sport or game to be the National Game.

Surprisingly, the government portal under the head National symbol has
given details of 14 such symbols which include - Flag, Bird, Flower,
Tree, Anthem, River, Aquatic Animal, State Emblem, Calender, Animal,
Song, Fruit, Game, Currency Symbol.

http://www.business-standard.com/generalnews/news/govt-to-review-its-portal-articlehockey-as-national-game/40631/

‘Keep Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta within RTI ambit’: UPCPRI to CM
yaishwaryaj Posted August 8, 2012
social worker
http://www.wespeaknews.com/india/keep-uttar-pradesh-lokayukta-within-rti-ambit-upcpri-to-cm-82464.html

UPCPRI ( Uttar Pradesh Campaign to Protect RTI ), Voice of majority of
RTI Activists of Uttar Pradesh ,the RTI wing of YAISHWARYAJ Seva
Sansthan, a Lucknow based NGO organized a meeting of RTI activists in
the state capital on Tuesday.

Noted Social Activist Usha Sharma, Prabhuta Mishra, Babita Singh,
Vishnu, Datt Mishra and RTI activists, comprising lawyers, professors,
engineers, retired government officials and others, took part in the
meeting. Urvashi Sharma, Coordinator of UPCPRI chaired the meeting.

Inaugurating the meeting, Urvashi Sharma said that it seems that the
State of Uttar Pradesh has been baffled by the use of the right to
information in unearthing corruption in every walk of life so it has
once again bitten back, thereby weakening the seven-year old regime of
RTI. The Samajwadi Party-led Government in Uttar Pradesh (UP) has
launched the latest battle against the transparency law by keeping UP
Lokayukta out of RTI ambit.

Prabhuta Mishra said that as we all know that on July 31,2012 Uttar
Pradesh Cabinet decided to notify the Lokayukta as an exempt
organization under Section 24(4) of the Right to Information Act (RTI
Act) and put it in second schedule. She added that the cabinet
decision is contrary to government’s promise to strengthen the
Lokayukta. In its election manifesto, Samajwadi Party had promised to
take steps to strengthen the office of the Lokayukta, but instead of
making it more transparent, the government first increased the tenure
of the Lokayukta to eight years, then it authorized the Lokayukta to
penalize persons who level frivolous charges against any public
servant. Now, with the cabinet approving a proposal to keep the
Lokayukta outside the ambit of the RTI Act, we, the Activists have
every reason to doubt about further dilution and politicization of the
Lokayukta organization.

She further added that the government has done nothing to make
Lokayukta office a multi-member body, bring the economic offences wing
of the police under the Lokayukta Act and bringing the Chief
Minister’s office under the Lokayukta’s ambit.

Activist Usha Sharma said that Section 24(4) of RTI act permits the
exemption of only security and intelligence organizations. For an
organization to qualify for this exemption it must perform either of
the functions of providing security-related services or be responsible
for gathering intelligence and also this should be the primary
functions of the organization. The Lokayukta is neither a security nor
an intelligence organization. It
is primarily a body vested with powers to conduct enquiries and
investigations into allegations of corruption leveled against public
servants. The Lokayukta simply does not qualify for exemption under
Section 24(4). The UP Cabinet decision amounts to a
misinterpretation of the RTI Act. Section 24(4) of the RTI Act
empowers the State Governments to notify in the Official Gazette
security and intelligence organizations that will be exempted from
ordinary obligations of transparency and information disclosure unlike
other public authorities. Once notified, such bodies will be liable
only to provide information about allegations of corruption and human
rights violation to a info-seeker.
Information about allegations of human rights violation will be
provided only with the concurrence of the State Information Commission
and within forty five days. The State Government has an obligation to
table the list of organizations notified in this manner in the
Legislative Assembly. Lokayukta does not qualify for the Section 24(4)
exemption, which applies only to security and intelligence
organizations. RTI Act exemptions already protect against the
disclosure of investigatory materials. There is no reason to take
anti-corruption bodies away from RTI.

“The UP government’s decision to keep the office of Lokayukta outside
the RTI Act was not at all needed as RTI Act itself provides
protection to the provisions of the UP Lokayukta Act 1975. UP
Lokayukta office was free not to provide information about the
ongoing investigation under the Right to Information Act also.

Section 8(1)(g) and 8(1)(h) of RTI act takes proper care of section
10 and section 15 of the Lokayukta Act. The section 10 of the UP
Lokayukta Act states that Investigation to be conducted by the
Lokayukta or his deputy should be conducted in private, and in
particular, the identity of the complainant and of the public servant
affected by the investigation should not be disclosed to the public or
the press whether before, during or after the investigation. The
Section 15 of the Act states that any information or any evidence
obtained by the Lokayukta office in the course of investigation should
be confidential. Keeping UP Lokayukta out of RTI ambit is one of the
many attacks being launched against the transparency regime by the
very system which the RTI Act seeks to reform” said Vishnu Datt
Mishra.

“UP Government’s decision is a clear violation of the United Nations
Convention against Corruption which India ratified last year. Article
5(1) of the UNCA requires Indian Governments to develop and implement
an anti-corruption mechanism that is primarily informed by
transparency. The exemptions under Section 24(4) are not absolute as
information about allegations of corruption and human rights cannot be
denied even by an exempt organization.

Right to information is a part and parcel of the Right to Freedom of
Speech and Expression as contained in Article 19(1)(g) of the
Constitution. ’The RTI Act’ gives statutory safeguard to the Freedom
of Speech and Expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(g), which
cannot be curtailed except with reasonable restrictions provided under
Article 19(2) of the Constitution, in the interest of sovereignty and
integrity of India, security of the State, friendly relations with
foreign State, public order, decency or
morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement
to an offence only and the functions performed by the Lokayukta does
not fall in any of the categories enumerated under Article 19(2) of
the Constitution. The reasonable restrictions as envisaged under
Article 19(2) of the Constitution cannot be imposed by executive
action and can only be done by duly enacted law. Therefore, the
restriction imposed are excessive and beyond the powers of the State,
which cannot be done by issuance of notifications” Urvashi Sharma told
the audience.

A unanimous resolution was passed to send memorandum to Chief Minister
Akhilesh Yadav and also to legislators representing constituencies of
Uttar Pradesh, seeking withdrawal of the decision to exempt the UP
Lokayukta from the RTI Act.

“If need be, YAISHWARYAJ Seva Sansthaan shall adopt the PIL route to
bring the Lokayukta back within the ambit of the RTI Act” Urvashi
Sharma announced.

http://www.wespeaknews.com/india/keep-uttar-pradesh-lokayukta-within-rti-ambit-upcpri-to-cm-82464.html

आरटीआई क़ानून को कमज़ोर कर रही है यूपी सरकार: उर्वशी

Wednesday, 08 August 2012

http://www.instantkhabar.com/lucknow/item/787-rti.html

लखनऊ: UPCPRI (उत्तर प्रदेश सूचना का अधिकार बचाओ अभियान), येश्वर्याज
सेवा संस्थान की आरटीआई शाखा के तत्वावधान में राज्य की राजधानी में
मंगलवार को आरटीआई कार्यकर्ताओं की एक गोष्ठी आयोजित की गयी l

गोष्ठी में विख्यात सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता उषा शर्मा, प्रभुता मिश्रा,
बबिता सिंह, विष्णु दत्त मिश्रा और आरटीआई कार्यकर्ताओं, जिसमें वकीलों,
प्रोफेसरों,इंजीनियरों, सेवानिवृत्त सरकारी अधिकारियों और अन्य लोगों,
में भाग लिया lUPCPRI की संयोजक उर्वशी शर्मा नें बैठक की अध्यक्षता कीl

गोष्ठी का उद्घाटन करते हुए उर्वशी शर्मा ने कहा कि यह लगता है कि
उत्तर प्रदेश राज्य में जागरूक नागरिकों नें सूचना के अधिकार का प्रयोग
करके जीवन के हर क्षेत्र के भ्रष्टाचार को उजागर कर सरकार को परेशान कर
दिया है है, जिससे सात साल पुराने आरटीआई को कमजोर. करने का कार्य
उत्तर प्रदेश (यूपी) में समाजवादी पार्टी के नेतृत्व वाली सरकार ने शुरू
किया है l

प्रभुता मिश्रा ने कहा कि हम सभी जानते हैं कि 31,2012 जुलाई को उत्तर
प्रदेश के मंत्रिमंडल ने लोकायुक्त को सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम (आरटीआई
एक्ट) की धारा 24 (4) के तहत छूट देकर इसे दूसरी अनुसूची में डालने का
फैसला किया है lकैबिनेट का यह निर्णय सरकार के लोकायुक्त को मजबूत बनाने
का वादा करने के विपरीत है lसमाजवादी पार्टी ने अपने चुनावी घोषणापत्र
में लोकायुक्त के कार्यालय को मजबूत करने के लिए कदम उठाने के लिए वादा
किया था, लेकिन इसे और अधिक पारदर्शी बनाने के बजाय, सरकार ने पहले
लोकायुक्त के कार्यकाल में आठ साल के लिए वृद्धि की , फिर लोकायुक्त
कार्यालय में किसी व्यक्ति द्वारा लोक सेवक के खिलाफ की गयी शिकायत के
प्रमाणित न होने पर शिकायतकर्ता को ही दंडित करने के लिए प्राविधान किया
,और अब लोकायुक्त को आरटीआई अधिनियम के दायरे के बाहर रखने के प्रस्ताव
का अनुमोदन कर लोकायुक्त संगठन को कमजोर करने और उसके राजनीतिकरण करने
के संदेह को वल प्रदान किया है l उन्होंने आगे कहा कि सरकार ने लोकायुक्त
कार्यालय एक बहु - सदस्यीय संस्था बनाने,पुलिस की आर्थिक अपराध विंग
लोकायुक्त अधिनियम के तहत लाने और मुख्यमंत्री कार्यालय को लोकायुक्त
परिधि के अंतर्गत लाने के लिए कुछ भी नहीं किया है l

कार्यकर्ता उषा शर्मा ने कहा कि आरटीआई अधिनियम की धारा 24 (4) केवल
सुरक्षा और खुफिया संगठनों को छूट देता है.l इस छूट के लिए अर्हता
प्राप्त करने के लिए संगठन के लिए या तो सुरक्षा से संबंधित सेवाएं
प्रदान करने के कार्य या खुफिया अन्वेषण के लिए जिम्मेदार होना चाहिए
और यह इस संगठन का प्राथमिक कार्य होना चाहिए l लोकायुक्त न तो सुरक्षा
और न ही एक खुफिया संगठन है l यह मुख्य रूप से स्वं में निहित शक्तियों
के साथ सरकारी कर्मचारियों के खिलाफ लगाए भ्रष्टाचार के आरोपों की जांच
का संचालन करने के लिए एक संस्था है lलोकायुक्त धारा 24 (4) के तहत छूट
के लिए योग्य नहीं है l उत्तर प्रदेश की सरकार को लोकायुक्त को सूचना का
अधिकार अधिनियम से बाहर रखने के निर्णय की आवश्यकता न होने पर प्रकाश
डालते हुए विष्णु दत्त मिश्र ने कहा कि सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम की धारा
8 (1) (g) और 8 (1) (hhh) उत्तर प्रदेश लोकायुक्त अधिनियम 1975 की धारा
10 और धारा 15 के प्रावधानों का संरक्षण करता है l "उत्तर प्रदेश सरकार
का यह निर्णय संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघ की "भ्रष्टाचार के खिलाफ कन्वेंशन"
का स्पष्ट उल्लंघन है l भारत ने पिछले वर्ष ही इस कन्वेंशन का अनुमोदन
किया है l सूचना का अधिकार अभिव्यक्ति की स्वतंत्रता के अधिकार का अंग
है l भारत के संविधान के अनुच्छेद 19 के (1) (g) में निहित अभिव्यक्ति
की स्वतंत्रता का अधिकार . 'सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम' के लिए सांविधिक
रक्षा देता है lअनुच्छेद 19 के (1) (g) के तहत भाषण और अभिव्यक्ति के
अधिकारों की संविधान के अनुच्छेद 19 (2 के तहत दिए गए प्रतिबंध के सिवाय
कटौती नहीं की जा सकती है l लोकायुक्त द्वारा निष्पादित किया जाने बाला
कार्य संविधान के अनुच्छेद 19 (2) के तहत प्रगणित श्रेणियों में से किसी
में भी नहीं आता है अतः राज्य सरकार लोकायुक्त को विधिवत अधिनियमित कानून
के सिवाय मात्र परिकल्पित कार्यकारी कार्रवाई से सूचना के अधिकार के
दायरे से बाहर नहीं कर सकती है" उर्वशी शर्मा ने कहा l

गोष्ठी में मुख्यमंत्री अखिलेश यादव और उत्तर प्रदेश के निर्वाचन
क्षेत्रों का प्रतिनिधित्व करने वाले सभी विधायकों को उत्तर प्रदेश
लोकायुक्त को सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम से छूट देने के राज्य सरकार के
निर्णय की वापसी की मांग से सम्बंधित ज्ञापन भेजने का संकल्प सर्वसम्मति
से पारित किया गया l

http://www.instantkhabar.com/lucknow/item/787-rti.html

http://maunews.in/%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%87-%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE/

लोकायुक्त सूचना के अधिकार अधिनियम के दायरे में रहे

आर टी आई कार्यकर्ताओं ने राज्यपाल को ज्ञापन दिया

Posted on August 8, 2012

लखनऊ: UPCPRI (उत्तर प्रदेश सूचना का अधिकार बचाओ अभियान), येश्वर्याज
सेवा संस्थान की आरटीआई शाखा के तत्वावधान में राज्य की राजधानी में
मंगलवार को आरटीआई कार्यकर्ताओं की एक गोष्ठी आयोजित की गयी l गोष्ठी
में विख्यात सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता उषा शर्मा, प्रभुता मिश्रा,
बबिता सिंह, विष्णु दत्त मिश्रा और आरटीआई कार्यकर्ताओं, जिसमें वकीलों,
प्रोफेसरों,इंजीनियरों, सेवानिवृत्त सरकारी अधिकारियों और अन्य लोगों,
में भाग लिया lUPCPRI की संयोजक उर्वशी शर्मा नें बैठक की अध्यक्षता कीl
गोष्ठी का उद्घाटन करते हुए उर्वशी शर्मा ने कहा कि यह लगता है कि
उत्तर प्रदेश राज्य में जागरूक नागरिकों नें सूचना के अधिकार का प्रयोग
करके जीवन के हर क्षेत्र के भ्रष्टाचार को उजागर कर सरकार को परेशान कर
दिया है है, जिससे सात साल पुराने आरटीआई को कमजोर. करने का कार्य
उत्तर प्रदेश (यूपी) में समाजवादी पार्टी के नेतृत्व वाली सरकार ने शुरू
किया है l प्रभुता मिश्रा ने कहा कि हम सभी जानते हैं कि 31,2012 जुलाई को उत्तर
प्रदेश के मंत्रिमंडल ने लोकायुक्त को सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम (आरटीआई
एक्ट) की धारा 24 (4) के तहत छूट देकर इसे दूसरी अनुसूची में डालने का
फैसला किया है lकैबिनेट का यह निर्णय सरकार के लोकायुक्त को मजबूत बनाने
का वादा करने के विपरीत है lसमाजवादी पार्टी ने अपने चुनावी घोषणापत्र
में लोकायुक्त के कार्यालय को मजबूत करने के लिए कदम उठाने के लिए वादा
किया था, लेकिन इसे और अधिक पारदर्शी बनाने के बजाय, सरकार ने पहले
लोकायुक्त के कार्यकाल में आठ साल के लिए वृद्धि की , फिर लोकायुक्त
कार्यालय में किसी व्यक्ति द्वारा लोक सेवक के खिलाफ की गयी शिकायत के
प्रमाणित न होने पर शिकायतकर्ता को ही दंडित करने के लिए प्राविधान किया
,और अब लोकायुक्त को आरटीआई अधिनियम के दायरे के बाहर रखने के प्रस्ताव
का अनुमोदन कर लोकायुक्त संगठन को कमजोर करने और उसके राजनीतिकरण करने
के संदेह को वल प्रदान किया है l उन्होंने आगे कहा कि सरकार ने लोकायुक्त
कार्यालय एक बहु – सदस्यीय संस्था बनाने,पुलिस की आर्थिक अपराध विंग
लोकायुक्त अधिनियम के तहत लाने और मुख्यमंत्री कार्यालय को लोकायुक्त
परिधि के अंतर्गत लाने के लिए कुछ भी नहीं किया है l
कार्यकर्ता उषा शर्मा ने कहा कि आरटीआई अधिनियम की धारा 24 (4) केवल
सुरक्षा और खुफिया संगठनों को छूट देता है.l इस छूट के लिए अर्हता
प्राप्त करने के लिए संगठन के लिए या तो सुरक्षा से संबंधित सेवाएं
प्रदान करने के कार्य या खुफिया अन्वेषण के लिए जिम्मेदार होना चाहिए
और यह इस संगठन का प्राथमिक कार्य होना चाहिए l लोकायुक्त न तो सुरक्षा
और न ही एक खुफिया संगठन है l यह मुख्य रूप से स्वं में निहित शक्तियों
के साथ सरकारी कर्मचारियों के खिलाफ लगाए भ्रष्टाचार के आरोपों की जांच
का संचालन करने के लिए एक संस्था है lलोकायुक्त धारा 24 (4) के तहत छूट
के लिए योग्य नहीं है l
उत्तर प्रदेश की सरकार को लोकायुक्त को सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम से
बाहर रखने के निर्णय की आवश्यकता न होने पर प्रकाश डालते हुए विष्णु दत्त
मिश्र ने कहा कि सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम की धारा 8 (1) (g) और 8 (1)
(hhh) उत्तर प्रदेश लोकायुक्त अधिनियम 1975 की धारा 10 और धारा 15 के
प्रावधानों का संरक्षण करता है l
“उत्तर प्रदेश सरकार का यह निर्णय संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघ की “भ्रष्टाचार
के खिलाफ कन्वेंशन” का स्पष्ट उल्लंघन है l भारत ने पिछले वर्ष ही इस
कन्वेंशन का अनुमोदन किया है l सूचना का अधिकार अभिव्यक्ति की
स्वतंत्रता के अधिकार का अंग है l भारत के संविधान के अनुच्छेद 19 के
(1) (g) में निहित अभिव्यक्ति की स्वतंत्रता का अधिकार . ‘सूचना का
अधिकार अधिनियम’ के लिए सांविधिक रक्षा देता है lअनुच्छेद 19 के (1) (g)
के तहत भाषण और अभिव्यक्ति के अधिकारों की संविधान के अनुच्छेद 19 (2)
के तहत दिए गए प्रतिबंध के सिवाय कटौती नहीं की जा सकती है l लोकायुक्त
द्वारा निष्पादित किया जाने बाला कार्य संविधान के अनुच्छेद 19 (2) के
तहत प्रगणित श्रेणियों में से किसी में भी नहीं आता है अतः राज्य सरकार
लोकायुक्त को विधिवत अधिनियमित कानून के सिवाय मात्र परिकल्पित
कार्यकारी कार्रवाई से सूचना के अधिकार के दायरे से बाहर नहीं कर सकती
है” उर्वशी शर्मा ने कहा l
गोष्ठी में मुख्यमंत्री अखिलेश यादव और उत्तर प्रदेश के निर्वाचन
क्षेत्रों का प्रतिनिधित्व करने वाले सभी विधायकों को उत्तर प्रदेश
लोकायुक्त को सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम से छूट देने के राज्य सरकार के
निर्णय की वापसी की मांग से सम्बंधित ज्ञापन भेजने का संकल्प सर्वसम्मति
से पारित किया गया l
गोष्ठी का समापन करते हुए उर्वशी शर्मा ने सभी आगंतुकों को धन्यवाद
ज्ञापित करते हुए घोषणा की कि यदि आवश्यक हुआ तो येश्वर्याज सेवा
संस्थान जनहित याचिका मार्ग अपनाएगा जिसकी तैयारी के लिए संस्थान देश के
आरटीआई कार्यकर्ताओं के निरंतर संपर्क में है l
सरकार के निर्णय से व्यथित आर टी आई कार्यकर्ता राजभवन गए जहाँ आर टी आई
कार्यकर्ता उर्वशी शर्मा, अखिलेश सक्सेना ,देव दत्त शर्मा और राम स्वरुप
यादव ने राज्यपाल के प्रमुख सचिव से भेंटवार्ता कर राज्यपाल को
संबोधित ज्ञापन हस्तगत कराया l

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