Parliamentary panel seeks people’s views on RTI Amendment Bill

A Parliamentary Committee has sought people’s suggestions on the Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2013, aimed at keeping political parties out of the purview of transparency law.

The Bill intends to amend the RTI Act and remove the adverse effects of the decision of the Central Information Commission (CIC) dated June 3, 2013. The CIC held six political parties — the Congress, BJP, NCP, CPI (M), CPI and BSP — as public authorities under the transparency law, announced an advertisement by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice.

The committee, headed by Shantaram Naik, has invited views and suggestions from individuals or organisations interested in the Bill.

The committee will also hear select oral views from stakeholders concerned.

People can send their suggestions within the next two weeks, said the advertisement that appeared in newspapers on Saturday.

The Union government introduced amendments to the RTI Act on August 12 in the Lok Sabha under pressure from the political class, which unanimously opposed the proposed accountability of parties to the public through the Act.