Parties don’t fall under RTI: Sibal
The government is understood to be preparing an ordinance aimed at putting the political parties out of the ambit of the Right to Information Act (RTI).
Union law and justice minister Kapil Sibal on Wednesday defended the move saying parties don’t fall under the RTI Act. “Political parties are not public authorities as defined by the RTI Act,” the law minister said.
It is understood that high-level consultations are on between officials of the ministry of personnel and law to decide on amendments in the RTI Act to give immunity to political parties from providing information.
Sources said that government may opt for an ordinance route as the six-week deadlines given to these political parties by the CIC to appoint designate information officers and appellate authorities is ending on July 15.
The move followed the objection by political parties to the order issued in June by the CIC that said they are public authorities and answerable to citizens under the RTI Act.
The Central Information Comm-ission’s June 3 order said that six national parties — Congress, BJP, NCP, CPI-M, CPI and BSP — have been substantially funded indirectly by the Central government and they have the character of public authority under the RTI Act as they perform public functions.
The ministry of law is understood to have shared a draft note with the DoPT, which acts as a nodal department for implementation of the RTI Act, suggesting changes in the act to give immunity to political parties, the sources said.
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