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My Take :
If CNN-IBN story below "UPA mulls review of RTI guidelines: Sources", is true than the said guidelines mentioned in the story will have far reaching implications on practical implementations of the Act.
While RTI Act has a provision (Section-5(4)) where nominated "Public Information Officer" may seek the assistance of any other officer as he or she consider it necessary for the proper discharge of his duties.
However in that case any officer, whose assistance has been sought will be treated as a "Public Information Officer (PIO)" for the purpose of any contravention of the provisions of this Act {Section-5(5)}. (Say he or she is treated as deemed PIO).
Now take a situation where information seeker (appellant) has to file first appeal to the officer senior to nominated PIO designated as First Appellate Authority (FAA) of said Public Authority {Section-19(1)}... What will happen when FAA is relatively junior in rank than deemed PIO mentioned above ?
In that case the role of FAA becomes redundant.
To site an example in PMO.
PIO is a Deputy Secretary and FAA is Director and if deemed PIO becomes a Joint Secretary level officer or above... would it not it make designated FAA redundant ?
Please go ahead and read story below :
Best
Commodore Lokesh Batra (Retd.)
Social & RTI Activist
BringChange
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Text of the Story below:
Video of CNN-IBN story can be viewed on Link :
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/upa-mulls-review-of-rti-guidelines-sources/193979-37-64.html
Politics News| Updated Oct 18, 2011 at 08:16am IST
UPA mulls review of RTI guidelines: Sources
Pallavi Ghosh, CNN-IBN
New Delhi: Days after the Prime Minister suggested a review of the RTI Act, the Centre now appears to be getting cagey about information sharing. After the recent embarrassing RTI revelation, the government has now decided to frame new guidelines.
CNN-IBN has learnt that all RTI replies prepared by junior officers will now have to be vetted by a senior officer, preferably of the Joint Secretary rank.
Among the changes considered, sources say that the RTI replies will have to be brief and should not reveal much.
In order to contain embarrassment for the government, sources also added that sensitive file notings should first go through the concerned Ministry before being revealed.
It is alleged that the reasons behind this is change in guidelines are the problems faced by the UPA 2 as far as RTI is concerned.
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