Invite : Seminar on “ Effectiveness of RTI act & the Road Ahead” in Lucknow,Uttar Pradesh,India on 07-12-2013 ( Saturday )

Invite : Seminar on " Effectiveness of RTI act & the Road Ahead" in
Lucknow,Uttar Pradesh,India on 07-12-2013 ( Saturday )


Friends,
RTI act has just turned eight . The sunshine act has brought smile to
millions of faces despite there being a constant tug-of-war like
situation between public authorities and the info-seekers. Virtually,
in most of the cases, Information is not being imparted by the public
authorities rather info-seekers are being forced to apply all their
might to snatch it from the claws of the corrupt system. In the very
process,we had lost numerous valuable lives of our RTI activists whose
opponents proved to be mightier than them . More or less each every
info-seeker's safety & security is at risk.

As the preamble of the RTI act says, the act's aim was to set out a
practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access
to information under the control of public authorities to promote
transparency and accountability in the working of every public
authority.The preamble also states that democracy requires an informed
citizenry and transparency of information which are vital to its
functioning and also to contain corruption and to hold Governments and
their instrumentalities accountable to the governed;And whereas
revelation of information in actual practice is likely to conflict
with other public interests including efficient operations of the
Governments, optimum use of limited fiscal resources and the
preservation of confidentiality of sensitive information; And whereas
it is necessary to harmonise these conflicting interests while
preserving the paramountcy of the democratic ideal;Now, therefore, it
is expedient to provide for furnishing certain information to citizens
who desire to have it.

Now after eight years of enactment of RTI act, We,at YAISHWARYAJ feel
that once again we should access the level of effectiveness of RTI act
vis-à-vis aims set out at the time of its enactment. We wish to
discuss as to how far RTI act has been successful in setting out a
practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access
to information under the control of public authorities , how far it
has promoted transparency and accountability in the working of public
authorities, how far it has been successful in preserving the
paramountcy of the democratic ideal while penalizing those who create
undue hurdles in impart of information and so on.

Since we are running a RTI helpline no. 8081898081 also, our
experience is that many a times, people misunderstand RTI act as a
grievance redressal mechanism. Despite getting the required
information in the first or second go, people keep on filing RTIs in
different ways in the same matter, keep shooting RTIs exponentially
based on cues from replies of previous RTIs etc. only because there
grievance is not resolved. We want to discuss at large as to what
measures should be taken to create awareness among masses as to ensure
appropriate use of information obtained under RTI at appropriate time.

We also want to discuss the possibilities beyond RTI act with the aim
to explore tools to ensure true participatory democracy in India.

As we all know that thought-sharing process always results in
precipitation of 'nectar' in the form of innovative ideas which have
strength to change the future. So with this pious aim we are
organizing a Seminar on :
=========================================

" Effectiveness of RTI act & the Road Ahead"

In Lucknow,Uttar Pradesh,India

On 07-12-2013 ( Saturday )

From 10 AM to 3 PM

At Jai Shanker Prasad Meeting Hall , Rai Umanath Bali Auditoriam
Campus , Quaiserbagh Lucknow Uttar Pradesh,India

Organizer : YAISHWARYAJ Seva Sansthaan Lucknow

Contact rtimahilamanchup@gmail.com

Mobile 9369613513 , 9455553838 , 8081898081

You all are cordially invited to be with us & help us in makeing our
endeavor a great success.

Regards.

Humbly Yours

Urvashi Sharma
Secretary - YAISHWARYAJ Seva Sansthaan Lucknow

Seminar on “ Effectiveness of RTI act & the Road Ahead” In Lucknow,Uttar Pradesh,India On 07-12-2013 ( Saturday ) From 10 AM to 3 PM At Jai Shanker Prasad Meeting Hall , Rai Umanath Bali Auditoriam Campus , Quaiserbagh Lucknow Uttar Pradesh,India Organizer : YAISHWARYAJ Seva Sansthaan Lucknow

 Friends,

RTI act has just turned eight . The sunshine act has brought smile to millions of faces despite there being a constant tug-of-war like situation between public authorities and the info-seekers. Virtually, in most of the cases, Information is not being imparted by the public authorities rather info-seekers are being forced to apply all their might to snatch it from the claws of the corrupt system. In the very process,we had lost numerous valuable lives of our RTI activists whose opponents proved to be mightier than them . More or less each  every info-seeker's  safety & security is at risk.

 

As the preamble of the RTI act says, the act's aim was to set out a practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities to  promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority.The preamble also states that democracy requires an informed citizenry and transparency of information which are vital to its functioning and also to contain corruption and to hold Governments and their instrumentalities accountable to the governed;And whereas revelation of information in actual practice is likely to conflict with other public interests including efficient operations of the Governments, optimum use of limited fiscal resources and the preservation of confidentiality of sensitive information; And whereas it is necessary to harmonise these conflicting interests while preserving the paramountcy of the democratic ideal;Now, therefore, it is expedient to provide for furnishing certain information to citizens who desire to have it.

 

Now after eight years of enactment of RTI act, We,at YAISHWARYAJ  feel that once again we should access the level of effectiveness of RTI act vis-à-vis aims set out at the time of its enactment. We wish to discuss as to how far RTI act has been successful in setting out a  practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities , how far it has promoted transparency and accountability in the working of public authorities, how far it has  been successful in preserving the paramountcy of the democratic ideal while penalizing those who create undue hurdles in impart of information and so on.

 

Since we are running a RTI helpline no. 8081898081 also, our experience is that many a times, people misunderstand RTI act as a grievance redressal mechanism. Despite getting the required information in the first or second go, people keep on filing RTIs in different ways in the same matter, keep shooting RTIs exponentially  based on cues from replies of previous RTIs etc.  only because there grievance is not resolved. We want to discuss at large as to what measures should be taken to create awareness among masses as to ensure appropriate use of information obtained under RTI at appropriate time.

 

We also want to discuss  the possibilities beyond RTI act with the aim to explore tools to ensure true participatory democracy in India.

 

As we all know that thought-sharing process always results in precipitation of 'nectar' in the form of innovative  ideas which have strength to change the future. So with this  pious aim we are organizing a Seminar on :

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

 

" Effectiveness of RTI act & the Road Ahead"

 

In Lucknow,Uttar Pradesh,India

 

On 07-12-2013 ( Saturday )

 

From 10 AM to 3 PM

 

At Jai Shanker Prasad Meeting Hall , Rai Umanath Bali Auditoriam Campus , Quaiserbagh  Lucknow Uttar Pradesh,India

 

Organizer : YAISHWARYAJ Seva Sansthaan Lucknow

 

Contact rtimahilamanchup@gmail.com

 

Mobile 9369613513 , 9455553838 , 8081898081

 

You all are cordially invited to be with us & help us in makeing our endeavor a great success.

 

Regards.

 

Humbly Yours

 

Urvashi Sharma

Secretary - YAISHWARYAJ Seva Sansthaan Lucknow

 

 

 

उत्तर प्रदेश में सूचना आयुक्तों की नियुक्ति में समाज के सभी क्षेत्रों के प्रतिनिधित्व की मांग

उत्तर प्रदेश में शीघ्र ही सूचना आयुक्तों की नियुक्तियां होने बाली है l उच्च न्यायालय द्वारा स्वतः संज्ञान लेकर सुनी गयी पीआईएल के आदेश के बाद अब चल रही अवमानना याचिका के बाद सरकार पर ऐसा करने का दवाव भी है l अब सरकार के पास बचने का कोई वहाना भी नहीं है पर शायद अब सबसे बड़ी परेशानी नियुक्ति के बाद छूट गए उन असंतुष्टों की बजह से  है जो सरकार से अब तक आस लगाये बैठे हैं l फिर विपक्ष और राजभवन को संतुष्ट भी तो करना है l इस मकड़जाल में उलझी नियुक्तियां सरकार के लिए गले की हड्डी बनती जा रहे हैं l

यही कवायद 2012 में भी हुई थी l तब सूबे के मुख्यमंत्री अखिलेश यादव नेसुनीता चार्ल्स ,
सैय्यद हैदर अब्बास रिज़वी ,राजकेश्वर सिंह , शशिकांतशर्मा,गजेन्द्र यादव,मोहम्मद उस्मान,
 अरविन्द सिंह बिष्ट  और पारस नाथगुप्ता के नाम अंतिम कर अनुमोदन के लिए राज्यपाल
को भेजे थे किन्तु ....................................................

read full story at given weblink
http://rti-activist-india.blogspot.in/2013/11/blog-post_13.html

Violation of FCRA by political parties : Case in High Court

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a Delhi-based NGO, filed a PIL in Delhi High Court in January alleging that the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have violated the Representation of People's Act (RPA) 1951 and Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) by taking donations from government companies and foreign sources, prohibited under both the legislations. 

London-based Vedanta Resources and its subsidiary companies in India – Sterlite, Sesa Goa and MALCO – donated several crores of rupees to major political parties such as the Congress and the BJP, said the petition.

 In their counter affidavits, the home ministry, Congress and BJP argued that an Indian subsidiary of a foreign company making donations to political party is legal if the majority of stakes in the foreign company are held by an Indian. The case will be heard next in January 2014.

Read full story at
http://rti-activist-india.blogspot.in/2013/11/foreign-funding-violations-bjp-congress.html

find orders of Writ of ADR at given link
http://rti-activist-india.blogspot.in/2013/11/wpc-1312013-in-high-court-of-delhi-at.html

RESPTA DID YOU RECEIVE OUR LAST EMAIL NOTIFICATI​ON?

whether SIC is within its powers to order a CB-CID probe or not ?

LUCKNOW: In another low for the RTI Act in UP, State Information Commission's order for a CB-CID probe to establish the veracity of one of the GOs has gone without effect. Administrative Reforms Department (ARD), to which the order was directed, has been debating for the last one year whether SIC is within its powers to order a CB-CID probe or not. The case is listed for hearing at the commission, yet again, on Tuesday.

The matter is about two GOs issued by ARD under similar file number (no-882/43-2-2008-15/2(3)/07 TC-III) on July 3 and 7, 2008 respectively. ARD says GO dated July 7, 2008 is genuine, but .........

Read full story at given link

http://rti-activist-india.blogspot.in/2013/11/1-year-on-sics-call-for-cb-cid.html

Many state departments evasive on RTI queries: Survey

LUCKNOW: The Right to Information (RTI) Act is yet to be implemented effectively in Uttar Pradesh. A survey conducted by RTI activists has revealed that public orgainsations like Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limitedand UP Shia Central Waqf Board often question the motive of the applicants in seeking information, which is not in consonance with the provisions of the RTI Act.

Out of 64 government departments covered in the survey, only 13 ...........................................................

Read full story at given link

http://rti-activist-india.blogspot.in/2013/11/many-state-departments-evasive-on-rti.html