Source: Times News Network, 27 Jul, 2006

 

Far from admitting that a proposed amendment would reduce access to information, the Prime Minister's Office claimed on Wednesday that the disclosure of file notings would actually "become possible for the first time." In reality, file notings have already been accessible under the existing provisions of the Right to Information Act. And, despite their reservations, bureaucrats have in several cases granted access to file notings.

This is thanks to a decision of the RTI regulator, Central Information Commission, in January ruling that, subject to restrictions, "a citizen has the right to seek information contained in file notings." Though there is no express provision on file notings, the CIC ordered their disclosure on the basis of a "combined reading" of the provisions of the RTI Act, which provided "access to a file of which the file notings are an integral part." It was to undo this liberal interpretation of the RTI Act that the Cabinet recently decided to introduce an amendment stipulating that file notings could be disclosed only on "development and social issues."

The attempt to restrict access to notings is being opposed vehemently by activists. The PMO sought to allay apprehensions by issuing a clarification that took liberties with facts. In an obvious bid to sugarcoat the proposed amendment to the RTI Act, the PMO suppressed the fact that file notings were already being disclosed to citizens on account of the CIC's ruling.