All pending information sought by a Right to Information (RTI) activist, who has subsequently been murdered, will henceforth be placed in the public domain. This decision was taken by the Central Information Commission (CIC), which has been under pressure to do its bit to stem the mounting casualties of RTI activists and applicants. The nature of information sought, the CIC believes, will reveal the motive for the murder.
In a resolution passed recently, the CIC said if it received “a complaint regarding the assault [on] or murder of an information seeker, it will examine the pending RTI applications of the victim and order the concerned department(s) to publish the requested information suo motu on their website as per the provisions of law.”
Surge in killings
The CIC noted the surge in the assaults on and killings of RTI users. “The Commission strongly believes that it is the duty and responsibility of the respective governments to safeguard the life and liberty of RTI users for which purpose they should invoke the relevant penal provisions for the prevention and detection of such heinous crimes.”
Central Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi, who moved the resolution, told The Hindu that complaints could be filed before the CIC at the Centre and in the State Information Commissions. “The families would be aware of the RTI applications filed by the victims, and once they complain to us with the details, we will track the applications and ensure that the information sought by the victims is made public.”
Mr. Gandhi said the information would give clues to the identities of the assailants which, in turn, would act a deterrent against attacks. “In my opinion the fear of exposure would work to stop the attacks and murders.”
In the past two years, as many as 13 RTI activists have been murdered and countless more attacked for seeking to expose corruption. The last murder in the series was of Shehla Masood, who had filed RTI applications on a range of subjects from political corruption to illegal mining and destruction of forests.
Keywords: RTI Act, RTI activist killing, CIC
This is a welcome step. Society should be active, sensitised at RTI activist being harassed. It is better to douse the spark rather than a devastating fire.
I welcome this conscious effort on the part of the CIC to save the life of the whistle blower's. But at sometimes the applicant may be aware of the threat perception and he may not be divulging the details to his family or even to his friends. Therefore the CIC and state commissions must allow the applicant to file, "a threat perception petition along with the the copy of the application filed already or to be filed before the PIO in the CIC or state commission". The applicant may be allowed to file the copy of the threat perception petition along with or separately with the pio "
One suggestion: The RTI activists if attacked or killed, then it is sure that grave corruption has taken place and the case has to be intensively investigated by CBI to nab the culprits. Further, immediately during investigation the culprits properties should be seized and frozen left bankrupt so that they could not plan to hide the incriminating documents.
One suggestion: Why not put all the applications for information sought by any RTI applicant on the websites, and also publish all data provided as practical for every applicant (searchable with all leading search engines), and not just who specifically request to make the information public, are assaulted, or murdered. This will help people improve quality of applications, avoid repeated applications for same data, prevent misuse of the act by both applicant and departments, and improve quality of responses? Please do consider this.
It is mentioned that 'pending RTI applications of the victims' be made public. It is also important to trace how the information such an RTI application was made is leaked out from CICs to the 'alleged assaulters'. It is also possible the assaults are a result of a completed RTI application. Any ways, It is a welcome decision.
Instead of making this information public after some RTI user has been killed, how about making all information sought under RTI being provided through a portal? After all, there is no need for the information provider to know who is seeking any specific piece of information. This internet portal can be the node through which RTI users can simply seek information, upon which the portal will seek the information from wherever relevant. Upon receiving the information, it can simply pass it on to the registered user. Why is this so hard for anyone to think about and implement before people have to die to exercise a right?
I wholeheartedly welcome this decision of the CIC. Apart from letting us know the information that cost the life of a brave RTI activist, this will also help in sending a clear signal to the perpetrators that their wrongdoings will come in the public domain anyway, even if they kill the information seeker.
Excellent initiative! Also,filing RTI requests anonymously via an intermediary organisation/NGO ought to be allowed,which will make the revenge attacks on individuals pointless.
Its also a duty of media to REPORT the corruption before RTI activist got killed .. Latest case how RTI activist expose the corruption is "Rupee Symbol Scam". For more information Google : saveindianrupeesymbol.org
Something is not right here. Someone seeks a right to information and is murdered. The people perpetrating the murder are afraid of the information seekers not the government which holds the information because they control the government. Beware of the government.
Shocking that governments do not move despite organised crime acting at the behest of those interested in hiding truth, hitting at RTI and civil rights activists. Such inaction takes away all prerogatives and assumptions normally made in favour of government. Are we now to depend upon the goodness of a few good men- SC judges, CVC, CIC and Lokpal - to be able to hope we will some day live in a civilised counry?
An innovative and sagacious move by the CIC! I am fully certain that this will save the lives of countless courageous men and women who seek out information through RTI. Often the seekers of information do not even have an inkling of the grave danger that lurks beyond. Those who attempt to perpetuate the darkness by silencing whistle-blowers and RTI Activits will find it no longer profitable to do so, as the sought information will now become accessible to the public at large. Let me use this space provided by The Hindu to thank the CIC on behalf of the average Indian citizen.
Killing of whistle blowers ought to be taken as very serious offence as innocents are getting capital punishment while the criminals go scotfree. There must be a determined bid to nab the culprits and the punishment should be a life term in jail.
In past two years 13 were murdered and only one can be sighted. How many activist are daily attacked? Actually there are people who works against corrupt people but all of them threatened and afraid of criminal activities.The matter of sadness is that most of the criminals are in politics or joint with them either by power or money. It means our government is not only full with corrupt people but also with criminals who cross all the barriers. All the criminals do illegal activities under the direction of the political leader and some powerful businessmen. It should be the time to identify them and put take action against them now any casualty can not be afford. Once again i want emphasize here about lack of information possessed by common people. Transparency must be increased by the government in their work in all aspects. This can lead a common people with proper knowledge.
Excellent idea! I hope this can be implemented immediately.
Its very good initiative taken by the CIC
A method should be evolved to get the detail of all RTI applications filed by an individual by the Central Information Commission even without the help of family members. In this age of information technology this should not be difficult.
This indeed is a very welcome step. This is surely going to save many precious lives as the very purpose of silencing the voices of information seekers will be defeated by this change. Better late than never.
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