A voice of dissent has emerged from within the Central Information Commission (CIC) against the proposed changes in the RTI Act, which many argue would “weaken” information commissions, with a Commissioner urging the panel to write to the government for withdrawing the controversial amendment Bill.
With Chief Information Commissioner R.K. Mathur on leave, Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu on July 19 wrote to seniormost Commissioner Yashovardhan Azad to convene a meeting of all Information Commissioners on the subject, sources said. The PTI has a copy of the letter that says the proposed Bill intends to defeat the very purpose of the RTI Act 2005, besides being an affront to federalism enshrined as a basic feature of the Constitution. A call on his demand is yet to be taken by the Commissioners.
