Editorial
Now we have the right to information
Set up the information commission quickly
THE government deserves our congratulations for passing the RTI bill. It was long overdue. Thanks must also go to those organisations and members of the civil society, teachers and journalists who had been relentlessly pursuing the matter. The erstwhile caretaker government should also be credited for drawing up the RTI ordinance 2008. This we feel is the first step towards establishing good governance and ensuring a regime of accountability in all government institutions.
Of note is the addition of several new provisions to the new bill, including the one that limits the blanket authority of certain agencies of the government to disclose information on 'sensitive' matters. The arbiter on such matters would now be the Information Commission which the Act provides for.
Now that we have constitutional guarantee for obtaining information from the government on all matters, except a few that deals with sensitive issues, it now devolves on all of us to ensure that the Act functions well and as intended.
The first task of the government now would be to set up the information commission, which it must do within the stipulated ninety days. We would like to see the commission headed by persons of impeccable integrity and it be given all the authority to be able to deal effectively with state institutions and agencies. This is essential for the commission to deliver.
An equally important task for the administration will be to make the RTI functional in the quickest possible time. It would be necessary to appoint a designated officer in every office who would be responsible for the task of providing the required information as demanded by an individual within the stipulated time. The sooner it is done the quicker will we be able to derive the benefits.
RTI Act is a new experience for us, and it may be well for us to draw upon the experience of the neighbouring countries, particularly India that have such an act already in place and is being implemented fully, in applying the provisions of the Act. Their experience including those dealing with the teething problems that might have been there may come in handy for us. We may also be able to get a good sense of how the provisions have benefitted an elected government.
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