Panel discussion on RTI Amendment Act 2019 by B.PAC, BIC and Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy

Описание: B.PAC organised a panel discussion on RTI Amendment Bill 2019
Deciphering RTI Amendment Bill, Death by a Thousand Cuts or Much Ado about Nothing?

Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC), Bangalore International Center and Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy organised a panel discussion on RTI Amendment Bill 2019, Deciphering RTI Amendment Bill, Death by a Thousand Cuts or Much Ado about Nothing? on July 31, 2019 at the Bangalore International Center, Domlur. The discussion was moderated by Ms Revathy Ashok, Hon Managing Trustee & CEO, B.PAC, and the panel included Mr, Alok Prasanna Kumar, Senior Resident Fellow, Vidhi centre for legal policy, Mr Veeresh Bellur, Trustee, RTI Study Center, Mr Vivek Subba Reddy, Advocate - HC Karnataka & Member Exec Committee, BJP National Legal Dept, Ms Jayna Kothari, Co-Founder, Centre for Law & Policy Research.
The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed on Monday, 23 July in the Lok Sabha and on Thursday, 25 July in the Rajya Sabha. The bill has attracted severe criticism from several civil society and other stakeholders. This panel discussion was organized to bring clarity on the amendments and educate citizens about it.
The panel discussion focused on the certain key issues such as:
• Whether the proposed amendment harms the autonomy and independence of Information Commissions set up by the RTI Act, 2005?
• How important is autonomy and independence for the Information Commissions and how can we ensure the same?
• What is the role of the Information Commission in our democracy and how can this structure be made more transparent and accountable to the citizen?
• Whether the RTI Act, 2005 was passed through the parliament “in a haste” and if some structural reforms are required?

A range of perspective were discussed in the panel discussion around the existing RTI act and rules, proposed amendments and the functioning of the Information Commissions at state and center. The panel discussion was followed a session of Q&A and the audience engaged with the panelists.

Speaking during the discussion Ms Revathy Ashok, Hon Managing Trustee & CEO, B.PAC, “The RTI Act is one of most powerful act enacted to empower citizens, bring transparency in political system and make politicians accountable. Hence I think the public must know about the amendments in the act and its impact. So we have organized this event to facilitate the same. I also feel some of the amendments might undermine the importance of the Bill and let us hope that it is not misused.”

Mr, Alok Prasanna Kumar, Vidhi centre for legal policy, said “The IC is not a tribunal, it's more of grievance redressal. To turn the IC into tribunal would only help the lawyers and not the RTI activists.”

Mr Veeresh Bellur, Trustee, RTI Study Center, said “The government has not touched any of the sections except for the salary and allowances. I also want to reiterate that with great difficulty we were able to push the RTI act, and amendments are needed, and this current amendment does not change the structure of the Act.”

Mr Vivek Subba Reddy, Advocate - HC Karnataka & Member Exec Committee, BJP National Legal Dept, supporting the amendments said “RTI is not about salary and allowance. RTI is about various other aspects about activism and power to citizens. The amendment doesn't change the main aspects which was passed in 2005. The structure of the act remains the same.”


Ms Jayna Kothari, Co-Founder, Centre for Law & Policy Research said “The entire comparison to the CEC has been removed and even the fixed tenure has been removed. The justification given is that the EC is a constitutional body, and IC is not a constitutional body - it's a fallacious argument, The justification given and the amendment is unconstitutional. Fixed tenure was given specifically to ensure that CIC and SIC could carry out their work without any fear”