Cabinet set to withdraw RTI amendments

According to reports, the Union Cabinet is on Thursday may drop much-talked draft amendments to the Right to Information (RTI) Act as a move to bring strong support from activists.

Meanwhile, the step to draft the amendments had taken by the government about 6-years ago and included, among others, preventing disclosure of public notings on files by officials under the transparency law.

Now, if the central government withdraws the scheduled amendments as likely in the meeting today, all file notings can be accessed with the RTI in spite of those comes under national security, privacy as well as protection of commercial interests.

In fact, the selection method for appointments to public authorities will also come under public purview after the controversial amendments are withdrawn.

Talking to media, sources said, “The decision to withdraw the amendments was taken in view of opposition from Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, who is reported to be against any move to dilute the Act.”

Meanwhile, RTI activists as well as experts are not in favour of the proposed amendments. Even National Advisory Council (NAC) member Aruna Roy had also criticized the move.

Talking to media at the annual convention of Information Commissioners earlier this month, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had expressed concern over “frivolous and vexatious use of the RTI Act”.

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