NEW DELHI: Holding the AAP government responsible for reducing the 2005 RTI Act to a “lame duck” legislation, especially in the revenue, PWD, cooperative, health and power departments, one of the three Central Information Commissioners wrote last month to Lieutenant-Governor V K Saxena seeking “necessary action” when “there are glaring instances of authorities not doing enough to protect the larger public interest”.
The L-G secretariat has directed the Delhi chief secretary to take corrective action at the earliest. “In view of the seriousness of issues highlighted by the CIC, the Lt Governor’s secretariat has directed the chief secretary to take requisite corrective action as per rules in place to address the matter at the earliest,” according to L-G office sources.
Pointing out that “serious issues of misgovernance marked by corruption and nepotism remain unaddressed at public and individuals levels in the national capital” as the “departments/entities show disregard for the principles of transparency and accountability as enshrined in the RTI Act, 2005, and run roughshod over the quest for crucial information”.
Claiming that “crucial information” often “impacts” the property and life of genuine and needy appellants, Information Commissioner Uday Mahurkar said that citizens “battle with a section of allegedly corrupt and lethargic officials”. This is the first time that India’s watchdog body, which seeks to implement the RTI Act, has pulled up the Delhi government for alleged corruption and malgovernance. The letter is dated September 22.
Backed by instances of “stonewalling” by government departments, Mahurkar’s three-page letter to Saxena said that the RTI applicants “seeking information in these departments/entities are in miserable condition…In other cases, genuine information regarding corruption and irregularity in government is being held back with alleged ulterior motives”.