उच्चतम न्यायालय ने हमें सूचना आयुक्त की मनमानी से मुक्ति प्रदान कर दी है.

मुंबई, 17 सितम्बर 2012: 13 सितम्बर 2012 का दिन सभी आरटीआई कार्यकर्ताओं और सभी नागरिकों के लिए एक उत्सव का दिन है. क्योंकि उच्चतम न्यायालय ने हमारे रास्ते की सबसे बड़ी बाधा को दूर कर दिया है, अर्थात केंद्रीय और राज्य सरकारों की सूचना आयुक्तों के रूप में सेवानिवृत्त नौकरशाहों की नियुक्ति करने, यानी उन स्थानों में अपने स्वयं के व्यक्तियों को रखने की प्रवृत्ति को. न्यायमूर्ति स्वतंत्र कुमार ने नमित शर्मा बनाम भारतीय संघ के मुक़दमे के ऐतिहासिक फैसले में स्पष्ट रूप से निर्देश दिया है कि सभी सूचना आयोगों को, एक अच्छी कानूनी पृष्ठभूमि वाले न्यायिक सदस्य के साथ व्यक्ति के साथ, द्वि-व्यक्ति बेंचों के रूप में कार्य करना आवश्यक है. राज्य सरकारों और केंद्र सरकार के लिए, नियुक्ति से कम से कम तीन माह पहले विज्ञप्ति देने के बाद, और शेष प्रक्रिया का अनुपालन करने के बाद, सूचना आयुक्तों के उचित चयन के लिए नियम बनाना भी अनिवार्य कर दिया गया है.

इस अत्यंत दूरगामी फैसले में, उच्चतम न्यायालय ने स्वयं के अंतर्गत अर्धन्यायिक निकायों के रूप में सूचना आयोगों को स्वामित्व में लिया है, न कि नौकरशाहों के लिए सेवानिवृत्ति गृह के रूप में. "हम मानते हैं कि यह कानून का एक निर्विवाद प्रस्ताव है कि आयोग न्यायिक और अर्धन्यायिक प्रकृति के कार्यों को करता हुआ और न्यायालय से सम्बन्ध रखने वाला एक न्यायिक प्राधिकरण' है. यह एक महत्वपूर्ण दांता है. यह उन मंत्रिमंडलीय न्यायाधिकरण के विपरीत है, जो प्रशासन की प्रणाली से अधिक प्रभावित और नियंत्रित है और प्रशासन की मशीनरी के समान कार्य करता है,” ऐसा निर्णय में कहा गया है.

Translated into Hindi by Supriya Deshpande <honyakuremedies@gmail.com>

from English original http://tiny.cc/SC-Order-Info-Comm-Appt

आज सूचना प्राप्त करने वाले के लिए, सबसे बड़ा भय यह है कि सभी राज्यों में और केंद्र में अधिकांश सूचना आयुक्तों का स्वयं तक सीमित कानून है, ऐसे आदेश देते हैं जिनके कानूनी तर्क कमजोर होते हैं या फिर कोई तर्क नहीं होता. वे उन जनसूचना अधिकारियों से सख्त व्यवहार नहीं करते, जो लगातार जानकारी देने से मना करते हैं. सूचना आयुक्त स्पष्टत: ऐसे अतार्किक और अवैध द्वितीय-अपील आदेश जारी करते हैं जिससे सूचना प्राप्त करने वाले को किसी भी प्रकार की कोई राहत नहीं मिलती! इस प्रकार, सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम, जो नागरिक को समय पर और सही सूचना की गारंटी देता है,असफल हो जाता है.

"इस निर्णय का एक प्रतिकूल परिणाम यह है कि सभी सूचना आयोगों ने कार्य बंद रखना होगा, जब तक कि न्यायिक पृष्ठभूमि वाले सदस्यों की नियुक्ति नहीं हो जाती. वर्तमान मुख्य सूचना आयुक्त के कार्यकाल की समाप्ति के बाद, कोई गैर-न्यायिक विशेषज्ञ कभी भी मुख्य सूचना आयुक्त के रूप में नियुक्त नहीं किया जाएगा. अतः इस फैसले से सभी सूचना आयोगों के सभी कार्यों में रूकावट की सम्भावना है, जब तक बेंच के गठन के लिए मापदंड पूरे नहीं हो जाते," सीएचआरआई के वेंकटेश नायक (nayak.venkatesh@gmail.com,             9871050555      ) ने टिप्पणी की. भय है कि सूचना आयोगों के कार्यों को कुछ महीनों के लिए एक पक्षघात (paralysis) हो जाएगा. "जब तक नई नियुक्तियां की जाती हैं, पीआईओ और एफएए खुशी से मामलों को स्थगित कर सकते हैं. सूचना का अधिकार अधिनियम के लिए, देश भर में अगले कई महीनों के लिए ऎसा रुख हो सकता है", वेंकटेश नायक लिखते हैं.

हालांकि, कुछ ही आरटीआई कार्यकर्ताओं ने वेंकटेश नायक की निराशा में साथ दिया है. RTIIndia.org, आरटीआई कार्यकर्ताओं की अग्रणी ऑनलाइन हब, के मुख्य सभापति सी जै करीरा (cjkarira@gmail.com,             9848203583      ) उत्साहित हैं. "यह बिलकुल वैसा ही आदेश है जिसके लिए देश भर में सभी आरटीआई कार्यकर्ताओं ने प्रार्थना की है" करीरा भावविभोर होकर कहते हैं. "मुझे लगता है कि यह हमारे लिए शैंपेन की बोतलें खोलने और सड़कों में जश्न मनाने का समय है, क्योंकि किसी भी अस्थायी देरी के बावजूद, बुरे आदेशों के साथ आरटीआई अधिनियम को जानबूझकर तोड़मरोड़कर पेश करने वाले बाबुओं के दिन समाप्त हो गए है."

उच्चतम न्यायालय के आदेश की प्रतिलिपि देखें जहां निर्देशों को हाईलाइट किया गया है: http://tiny.cc/SC-Judgment-CIC-SIC-Appt

आदेश में खूबसूरती से तर्क दिया गया है, और यह सभी आरटीआई कार्यकर्ताओं के दिलों में अपार आनंद प्रदान करेगा.

मुख्य बिंदु :

1) यह निर्णय सूचना आयोगों के सदस्यों के रूप में अनिवार्य रूप से सेवानिवृत्त न्यायाधीशों की नियुक्ति करता है.

2) सभी राज्यों में और केंद्र में, मुख्य सूचना आयुक्त का पद सेवानिवृत्त न्यायाधीशों के लिए आरक्षित हो जाएगा.

3) सभी बेंच द्वि-सदस्यीय- एक न्यायिक विशेषज्ञ और एक गैर- न्यायिक विशेषज्ञ होने चाहिए.

4) सरकार को नियुक्तियों की प्रक्रिया में भ्रम और मनमानेपन की स्थिति को हटाने के लिए कानून की धारा 12 और 15 में संशोधन करने की सलाह दी गयी है. वेंकटेश नायक लिखते हैं, "क़ानून में परिवर्तन की सलाह देना न्यायालय के लिए एक दुर्लभ बात है, लेकिन उन्होंने इस बार ऐसा किया है." उच्चतम न्यायालय ने कहा, "विधायिका के लिए अधिनियम की धाराओं12(5), 12(6) और 15(5), 15(6) के प्रावधानों में संशोधन करने की परम आवश्यकता है. हम देखते हैं और आशा करते हैं कि किसी भी अस्पष्टता या अव्यवहारिकता से बचने के लिए और इसे संवैधानिक जनादेश के अनुरूप बनाने के लिए इन प्रावधानों को विधायिका द्वारा जल्द से जल्द संशोधित किया जाएगा." वर्तमान में, अस्पष्टता को, राज्य सरकारों द्वारा नौकरशाहों और उनके चहेतों की पक्षपातपूर्ण नियुक्तियां करने के लिए इस्तेमाल किया जा रहा है.

5) सूचना आयुक्तों की मनमानीपूर्ण और अवैध आदेश जारी करने की प्रवृत्ति से निपटने के लिए, न्यायालय ने कहा है सभी सूचना आयुक्त उच्च न्यायालयों तथा उच्चतम न्यायालय और सूचना आयुक्तों की बड़ी बेंचों की तुलना में पूर्व-निर्णयों के सिद्धांत हेतु बाध्य हैं. वेंकटेश ने कहा "अच्छी बात यह है कि यह सिद्धांत समान शक्ति वाली बेंचों द्वारा दिए गए पूर्व निर्णयों का विस्तार नहीं करता".

6) उच्चतम न्यायालय ने निर्देश दिया है कि केन्द्र सरकार और/या सक्षम प्राधिकारी को छह महीने की अवधि के भीतर सभी सूचना आयोगों को कानून के बुनियादी नियमों के अनुरूप और प्रभावी रूप से कार्यशील बनाने के लिए सभी अभ्यास और प्रक्रिया से संबंधित नियमों को तैयार करना करना चाहिए. "गैरकानूनी और असंवैधानिक आदेश, विभिन्न राज्यों और केन्द्र में अधिकतर आरटीआई अपीलकर्ताओं की एक समस्या है,” सी जै करीरा ने टिप्पणी की.

7) उच्चतम न्यायालय ने निर्देश दिया है कि प्रथम अपीलीय प्राधिकारी (अर्थात अधिनियम 2005 की धारा 5 के अंतर्गत नामित किए जाने वाले वरिष्ठ अधिकारी) मुख्यतः कानून में एक डिग्री रखने वाले या कानून के क्षेत्र में पर्याप्त ज्ञान और अनुभव रखने वाले व्यक्ति होने चाहिए. "इस बात का निहितार्थ यह है कि प्रथम अपील के स्तर पर मनमाने ढंग से फैसले के दिन भी जल्द ही खत्म हो जायेंगे" कार्यकर्ता जीआर वोरा (grvora1@gmail.com,             9869195785      ) का ऐसा मानना है.

8) उच्चतम न्यायालय ने सभी सूचना आयोगों को अब से प्रत्येक दो सदस्यों की बेंच में कार्य करने का निर्देश दिया है. उनमें से एक न्यायिक सदस्य होना चाहिए, जबकि दूसरा एक' विशेषज्ञ सदस्य' होना चाहिए. न्यायिक सदस्य कानून में डिग्री रखने वाला, न्यायिक तौर पर प्रशिक्षित मस्तिष्क और न्यायिक कार्यों को करने के लिए अनुभव युक्त - वह व्यक्ति जो विज्ञापन की तिथि तक कम से कम बीस साल की अवधि के लिए कानून की प्रैक्टिस किया हुआ होना चाहिए. ऐसे वकीलों को सामाजिक कार्य का भी अनुभव होना चाहिए. उच्च न्यायालय के न्यायाधीशों को इस पद हेतु वरीयता दी जायेगी.

9) केंद्र या राज्य स्तर पर मुख्य सूचना आयुक्त केवल वह व्यक्ति होगा जो या तो उच्च न्यायालय या भारत के उच्चतम न्यायालय का एक न्यायाधीश है या रह चुका है.

इन पदों में से किसी के लिए भी न्यायिक सदस्यों की नियुक्ति भारत के मुख्य न्यायाधीश और संबंधित राज्यों के उच्च न्यायालयों के मुख्य न्यायाधीशों की परामर्श पर की जायेगी, जो भी मामले में संभव हो.

10) दोनों स्तरों पर सूचना आयुक्तों की नियुक्ति केंद्र के मामले में डीओपीटी और एक राज्य के मामले में संबंधित मंत्रालय द्वारा पैनल में शामिल व्यक्तियों के बीच से किया जाना चाहिए. पैनल को विज्ञापन से पूर्व और एक तर्कसंगत आधार पर तैयार किया जाता है जैसा कि पहले दर्ज में किया गया है.

11) उच्चतम न्यायालय ने अनिवार्य कर दिया है कि नियुक्ति के लिए नाम प्रस्तावित करने की एक निष्पक्ष और पारदर्शी विधि अपनाई जानी चाहिए. चयन प्रक्रिया पद रिक्त होने से कम से कम तीन महीने पहले शुरू की जानी चाहिए.

आधार रेखा: आरटीआई कार्यकर्ताओं और जानकारी चाहने वालों के लिए एक अधिक दूरगामी और सकारात्मक विकास की कल्पना करना मुश्किल है!

कृष्णराज राव

            9821588114      

RTI Act to be amended to extend CIC's term

The nodal department of personnel and training has recommended to the
Government of India that the path breaking Right to Information Act be
amended to effectively allow a minimum 2 year term for the country's
Chief Information Commissioner.

The amendment will align the posts of Information Commissions to those
of the Election Commission of India. The Election Commissioners enjoy
a term of 6 years in office or till 65 years (extendable by 1 year if
appointed as Chief information Commissioner).

The first beneficiary of this amendment is expected to be the present
Chief Information Commissioner Shri Anugraha Narayan Tiwari who
previously he

Maharashtra GAD advised to advertise for SIC candidates, but CM ignored

October 6, Mumbai: As far back as three years ago, Maharashtra Government’s General Administration Department (GAD) advised Chief Minister and Chief Secretary that there was a shortage of good candidates for consideration to the post of State Information Commissioner, and that it would be worthwhile in future to advertise in newspapers to attract a wider selection of candidates. This was revealed by a recent RTI reply to Pune activist Vihar Durve. See red-circled paragraph in file notings: http://www.box.net/shared/bhlzzx2bt3

Alas, GAD’s sound advice fell on deaf ears, and these posts are not yet advertised. Today, the Chief Minister’s selection committee is slated to meet and choose a successor to Chief Information Commissioner Dr Suresh Joshi, who is about to retire within a week. SIC Vilas Patil, who currently sits in Nagpur, is said to be likely to be promoted into this post. They may also select fresh Information Commissioners – although whom they will select is absolutely anybody’s guess.

RTI activists all over the state (and indeed, nationwide) have been crying themselves hoarse, asking for the selection process to be conducted in an open and transparent manner, so that eminent persons from civil society may apply as intended by the Act in section 15(5), and come to be selected on merit. The positions of SIC and Chief SIC are currently being used as a plum post-retirement position for favourite bureaucrats, although these posts actually require persons with a judicious mind and independent stance. This is because SICs are always under pressure from the political and bureaucratic establishment to refrain from asking for disclosure of embarrassing documents.

Unfortunately, the lack of selection criteria and procedure are so stark that if Chief Minister Ashok Chavan today chooses, he may even have his driver declared as the Chief State Information Commissioner! Given the 2:1 majority that the ruling party enjoys in such committees, the opposition leader would have no say in this matter. (This is not hype; it was amply demonstrated in the recent selections of Tamil Nadu’s Chief Information Commissioner, and also the Chief Central Vigilance Commissioner.) No matter who is selected today, RTI activists will suffer from having as a second appellate authority someone who is deeply indebted to the Chief Minister and his friends.

We have decided to fiercely oppose the non-transparent, arbitrary selection that will happen today in Maharashtra. This time, we say, “Enough! Thus far and no further”.

For details, contact

· Vihar Durve: 98605 86039 vihardurve@gmail.com

· G R Vora: 98691 95785 grvora@gmail.com

Warm Regards,

Krish

98215 88114

Video: Mumbai Activists give Mock Sendoff to Chief Info Commissioner

Click on http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=EA9ACD94B7D9C2F4

These are the proceedings of the Mock Sendoff to the Chief Information Commissioner held on Thursday, 9th September, 2010 at Marathi Patrakar Sangh, Mumbai. The sendoff was to show the government what RTI appellants feel about the current batch of Information Commissioners, both in Maharashtra and at the Centre. Despite concerns about propriety, it is necessary and urgent to organize such protests in all towns to give the government something to think about, before they non-transparently appoint the next batch of Information Commissioners.

The Sendoff was held after a press conference organized by G R Vora, Krishnaraj Rao & friends. The press conference was held to highlight the connection between
a) murderous attacks on RTI activists and whistleblowers
b) arbitrary and non-transparent appointment of political stooges as Information Commissioners & Vigilance Commissioners.

Fellow activists, it should be our utmost priority to organize many such sendoff parties for existing Information Commissioners in many towns and villages in Sept-October ’10. We must send a clear message to the government that the era of nepotistic appointments is over.

For organizing details, read: http://www.box.net/shared/r91tch0s3g

If you want to organize this, please call me.

Regards,
Krish
09821588114

Clean Information Commissioners’ Selection worth dying for

I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream

Lyrics of ABBA song ‘I have a dream’

Dear friends,

What you are about to read is a lengthily-reasoned and deeply personal piece. It is a piece that will definitely expose me to raised eyebrows and ridicule. Nonetheless, I am deeply convinced that carrying out the actions that I am about to detail here have the potential to change the ordinary course of events, and take us into a better future. Please believe me, they are not about a bright idea that I got last night, or even a couple of days back; this is a course of action that I have examined in my head over and over in the past few months. Before God and man, I humbly submit that I am not yielding to an urge to dominate or outshine my peers and colleagues through extreme behavior. So, bear with me; I ask from you only a few moments of willing suspension of disbelief.

The ABBA song above, particularly the lines, “If you see the wonder of a fairytale, you can take the future even if you fail,” reflects the way I feel. By restricting our thoughts to a fear-based ‘realistic’ projections of how things WILL PROBABLY play out, instead of a prayer-based ‘optimistic’ projection of how things CAN POSSIBLY play out, we do ourselves a grave injustice, because we fail to envision a future that is very different from our present. By failing to envision a future that is daringly different, we fail to do the very things that are necessary for creating that future. “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings." Julius Caesar (I, ii, 140-141).
The greatest battles were undertaken in the face of hopelessly great odds. For instance, in 1919, 28 years before Independence, the British Empire was at its greatest extent ever, and it was said, “The sun never sets on the British Empire”. So it must have seemed like an impossibly foolish thing to imagine that we could ever gain our national freedom. And yet, in the face of such odds and much ridicule from their countrymen, our nation’s founding fathers did many improbable things. The results are there for us to see.

I believe that the greatest battles are yet to be fought. The most inspiring tales of our times are yet to be told. And it is entirely up to us to fight these brilliant battles and write these incredible tales.

A great opportunity presents itself currently as a great challenge with almost insurmountable odds: Can we stop the Union Government from arbitrarily selecting the next batch of Information Commissioners? Can we compel the Union Government to frame the necessary rules for selection of Central Information Commissioners, and thereby, set a clear example for States to follow? Most people reckon, quite realistically, that it is impossible as these appointments are set to happen in two months.

October 2010 will be a milestone that we will either rejoice or look back with regret. If we – civil society -- allow the Union government to select the next crop of CICs in their business-as-usual way, it will send signals to all the states to do the same for SICs, and then the flood will be unstoppable for the next five years. That must not happen. That must NEVER be allowed happen.

And therefore, it stands to reason that it is crucial for to go beyond our usual intellectual, realistic approach.

Look back. Prior to June 2009, there were several RTI applications to PMO and DOPT on the subject of the CIC selection process. In July 2009, detailed letters to all the members of Parliament and leaders of opposition, and phonograms were sent in good numbers. Starting 23 October 2009, the legitimate and well-reasoned demands of civil society were hammered repeatedly to Government of India through scores of Phonograms, pleas, petitions and legal notices to DoPT, PMO and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi. In November ’09, we put up this issue as a PIL before Delhi High Court. On 12 February 2010, a delegation of eight activists from around the country went and met with DoPT’s officials and made a detailed representation about the urgency of having a due process for selection of Information Commissioners. Press reports have appeared all over the country.

Most recently, on 4 August 2010, a national-level consultation was held at IIPA Delhi, where, along with RTI’s leading lights Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey and Arvind Kejriwal, a couple of dozen activists from around the country, besides half a dozen government officials, were present. After a day of rigorous debate, the vote was in favour of what we were insisting on all along: (i) Advertize widely to attract applications and nominations (ii) Declare clear selection criteria, guided by what is provided in Section 12(5) and the intent and spirit of the Act voiced in its preamble, and finally (iii) prepare a shortlist transparently, according to these criteria, which should then be presented to the Selection Committee mentioned in Section 12(3).

The point being made is: What we have been asking for all along is an extremely reasonable demand, which any decent government should be willing to concede.

But, over the past 12-13 months, the Union government has maintained a sphinx-like silence. As a result, appointments of State Information Commissioners have continued happening in the usual opaque and arbitrary manner, without any due processes. And now, a fresh lot of Central Information Commissioners, including Chief CIC, will be selected in October 2010. So far, we have every reason to believe that the government will do what it has been doing all along – arbitrarily select a bunch of bureaucratic cronies.

And therefore, the time has come to go way beyond our comfort zone, and exert our entire mortal force to break the government’s silence on this key issue. You heard that right: mortal force, nor just moral force.

THE OATH

Unless the Union Government advertises to attract advertisements for the post of Central Information Commissioners and Chief CICs with suitable eligibility criteria, I shall commence a fast-unto-death on October 2, or on the very day that a date for PM’s Selection Committee meeting is announced (whichever is sooner). This fast will then be broken only after a newspaper advertisement calling for applicatons, nothing less. No compromises, no talks, no in-between solutions, no face-saving formulae.

THE LIFE-AND-DEATH REASON FOR THIS

Lack of support from the enforcers of RTI – the Information Commissioners -- is causing large numbers of RTI activists across the country to live in constant danger of being attacked and murdered. Their prolonged struggle renders them both conspicuous and helpless, endangering their lives. So, proper selection of enforcers is actually a life-and-death matter, not to be taken lightly.

THE METHODOLOGY

The internet makes it simple for any individual to convincingly engage in a hunger-strike from the comfort his or her home, or alternatively, travel all over India. All one needs to do is 24-HOURLY UPLOADS OF THE BELOW:

a) Fresh photos and videos of bare-bodied torso, front and side view: A male protester can get someone to photograph and/or take a video of him every 24 hours in shorts, bare-bodied, front and side-profile, standing or walking. It would be interesting for the public to watch the cheeks, double-chins, midriff and shoulders vanish in the first few days. After a week or so, as the cheekbones, eye-sockets and ribs start showing, and the protester becomes slowly unable to walk without help, the before-and-after contrast becomes very clear.

b) Bathroom-scale, measuring-tape and blood-pressure: Daily giving the latest statistics -- the exact numbers of kilos and inches melting away, and the falling blood-pressure, would be very interesting, and plenty of fodder for media discussion and updates.

c) Regular blood-checkup reports: Fasting blood-sugar levels, falling hemoglobin levels etc. help to make a persuasive point about the suffering and the seriousness of intent.

d) Daily travels and meeting people: The person on fast should ideally travel about as much as humanly possible, meeting and convincing people and media about the importance of this issue. Networked as we are, nationwide meetings are possible at short notice, as long as he is strong enough for economy-class air-travel and road travel. Travelling nationwide would help to make the seriousness of the issue felt by even indifferent people, while generating fresh video footage and media sound-bites.

e) Sympathy-fasts and protests: By travelling around, the protester may succeed in motivating others across the country to fast for a day or two in solidarity, or to organize relay-fasts. Possibly, some late starters will even join him in a fast-unto death, giving a local focus to this protest in different parts of the country. Such things have a way of happening spontaneously when we take issues to a certain emotional level.

f) Nationwide protests: People may not all be angered by undue selection of Central Information Commissioners. However, State Information Commissions are a different story; the tempers of appellants are flaring in many states, thanks to unfair rules, illogical orders, long pendencies, non-enforcement of orders etc. So widespread protests may start happening on many other RTI issues of RTI implementation, leave alone selection of SICs… all of which becomes news and events for upload.

g) Chain-reactions: The protesters themselves may not have an anti-government mindset. However, once things go beyond a certain point of no-return, things don’t stay neatly categorized. Agitations have a way of lending fuel and support to other issues as well. The overall increase in temperature brings to life pressure-groups that may have lain dormant for years. Corruption-related issues mix well with RTI-related issues in a heated environment.

h) More the merrier: There are quite a few people in our country who have the seriousness and stamina to take to fasting. Once the seeds of this idea have taken root in the public psyche, I am hopeful that a few RTI activists will undertake indefinite fasts of their own – whether inspired by me or otherwise. This will yield more material for the 24-hourly upload.

i) Medical intervention & force-feeding: Maybe after 20-30 days, a healthy protestor would enter into a state of medical emergency. (And maybe not; remember, every year, hundreds from the Jain community successfully fast for over a month without any medical intervention.) It is possible that the protester will be fed intravenously or through nose-tubes, against his own wishes. Still, how many days, weeks or months is it possible for such tactics to be employed against a person who is totally unwilling to start eating on his own? So, whether he dies or not, he will continue to be a messy public spectacle, waiting to stage a comeback after the force-feeding. However, pictures of all of this are very good as media-feed, and will keep the issue in the public eye.



THE INVITATION

I am hereby inviting you all to take a considered decision to join me in this fast. However, if you are not so willing, I am asking you to back me with moral, practical and logistical support. Photographing, uploading, updating, planning meetings and websites, organizing transport, media briefings – lots of important stuff like that need to be done. Can you help?

Of course I am expecting this idea to be met with skepticism and derisive smiles, besides various intellectual efforts at dissuasion. That, and then there will be opposition from my family.

But I have to prove by personal example that not only can all this be done, but that it can be a crystallizing point for media and public support for our cause.

Warm Regards,

Krish

98215 88114



Postscripts:

A. For those of my friends who feel that I have taken leave of my senses, I have this to say: By common standards, I really am a nutcase. Beneath my intellectual veneer, I am literally a man possessed. God is to me not an abstraction, but a real person riding pillion in my life, a buddy pointing the way at all times. I look to God for signs and suchlike. Outcomes are always subject to my buddy’s complex and self-contradictory personality, compassion and sometimes morbid sense of humour. But my buddy is all I really have, and my only failure is failure to do as he guides. My buddy likes to see the dice roll, and therefore, I shall roll the dice.

B. For those of my friends who disbelieve me: Hey, who knows, you may know me better than I know myself! Events as they unfold may very easily prove you right and prove me wrong. Won’t be the first time that has happened, and so, a healthy dose of disbelief is in order. Thanks for helping me stay balanced.

C. And for those of my friends who believe me: Thanks for the support, guys… but hey, relax, no need to get all serious! Don’t forget to laugh. Because, all said and done, this is just me being myself and having fun.

---------------
I Have A Dream (ABBA) - from "The Late, Late Breakfast Show" - STEREO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2YOGfBFAbs&feature=player_embedded

HT & The Hindu: Police & Information Commissions endanger RTI Activists

Gujarat, Maharashtra not safe for RTI Activists

Hindustan Times, Mumbai: The murder of Amit jethwa, an RTI activist in Gujarat, has brought into the focus the fact that these crusaders are constantly living under danger or being harmed and killed. Interestingly, Gujarat and Maharashtra lead in terms of number of killings of such activists.

http://www.box.net/shared/26qr48kjj2

In fact, Maharashtra, which boasts of being a safe state, has had four instances of activists being murdered, the most gruesome being the killing of Satish Shetty in January in Pune. Shetty had been crusading against the local builders. Shetty was hacked to death near his house when he was out for a morning walk.

Apart from Shetty, Arun Sawant was murdered in Badlapur on February 26, Vithal Gite was murdered in Beed on April 21 and Datta Patil, an activist from Kolhapur, was murdered on May 31. Gujarat has seen two such killings, while Bihar and Andhra Pradesh have had one incident of activists being murdered.

G R Vora, a Mumbai-based activist against corruption and encroachment, told Hindustan Times that he faces constant threats from encroachers and builders. “In January, the police commissioner D Shivanandan issued a circular asking every police station to treat complaints made by activists very seriously, but nothing has been done so far,” Vora lamented.

He said that activists face danger as people from Information Commissioners’ office leak their names to people against whom they are fighting.

Additional Director General (Law & Order) K P Raghuvanshi said that state government had given strict instructions for providing security to activists.

Delhi Activists’ rally on Monday

Denouncing the death of Amit Jethwa on July 20, Delhi’s RTI fraternity has decided to hold a protest rally on Monday to call for strict implementation of laws to protect whistleblowers. Jethwa, who exposed the mining mafia via the RTI, was shot in Ahmedabad on July 20 near the Gujarat High Court.

In March, activist Mohit Sharma, a Dilshad Garden resident, had alleged that two MCD officers had threatened to murder him for having sought information under the RTI Act in connection with certain illegal construction in Shahdara (North) Zone.

Initially, the police had refused to lodge an FIR, but media pressure ensured that an FIR was lodged and the officials concerned were punished.

The Hindu: 8 RTI activists killed in 7 months

With the cold-blooded murder of Right to Information (RTI) activist Amit Jethwa near the Gujarat High Court in Ahmedabad this past Tuesday, the number of such killings of whistleblowers has gone up to eight just this year alone. The Congress-ruled Maharashtra tops the list with four killings, followed by the BJP-ruled Gujarat with two.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/article531112.ece

The murdered RTI activists were: Datta Patil of Kolhapur (Maharashtra), killed on May 31; Vitthal Gite of Beed district, Maharashtra, on April 21; Sola Ranga Rao of Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, on April 11; Arun Sawant of Badlapur, Maharashtra, on February 26; Shashidhar Mishra of Begusarai, Bihar, on February 14; Vishram Laxman Dodiya of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on February 11; and Satish Shetty of Pune, Maharashtra, killed on January 13.

RTI activist Krishnaraj Rao points out that after every murder the respective State Government gave a standard reply: “Matter is under investigation. We will find the culprits.” He alleges that this is nothing but eyewash. In most cases, the top brass knew exactly what was going on. “By not penalising slippery public information officers and not compelling evasive public authorities to provide information, the State Information Commissioners too blunt the RTI activist's sword and prolong his battle for years, until somebody gets him in the end,” he complains.

Meanwhile, various NGOs and human rights organisations are planning to undertake a rally from ITO in New Delhi this coming Monday at 6 p.m. to condemn the brutal killing of Amit Jethwa.

Warm Regards,
Krish
98215 88114

RTI replies from PMO & DoPT betray rajneeti in Info. Commissioners’ selection

30th June 2010: 22 Information Commissioners from across the country will retire in the next few months. Out of them, 11 are Chief Information Commissioners.

So many posts will fall vacant. What should be the process of their appointment? The law is silent on that. Barring prescribing the composition of a selection committee (consisting of PM, Leader of Opposition and one Cabinet Minister), the law does not lay down the procedure that this committee should follow to invite names and process them.

Documents obtained under RTI from DOPT and PMO by Arvind Kejriwal reveal how intense lobbying takes place before every appointment to the posts of Central Information Commissioners.

Ravi Shankar Singh is a journalist with The Tribune. His name was recommended by none other than Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Chief Minister of Haryana himself through a personal letter written to the Prime Minister. Hooda writes – “He is well known to me for the last more than twenty years. … I would be highly obliged if you kindly consider his name for the post of Deputy Information Commission in the Central Information Commission.”

Ravi Shankar’s name was also recommended by Kumari Selja, Minister of State and two MPs namely Naveen Jindal and Dr Karan Singh.

Likewise, 7 MPs recommended the name of Dr Krishna Kabir Anthony.

Interestingly, neither Ravi Shankar nor Dr Anthony’s names were even put up to the selection committee, which comprises of Prime Minsiter, Leader of Opposition and a Cabinet Minister.

Before every set of appointments, the word spreads around. Several people either apply themselves or are recommended by others. Recommendations are found to have been made by very influential people including Chief Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, MPs, Supreme Court Bar Council etc.

The names for selection are put up to selection committee through an agenda note. The agenda note is prepared by DOPT. However, none of these recommendations or applications was ever put up to the selection committee.

Interestingly, the names which made it to agenda note and who were finally selected, never applied nor were they ever recommended by anyone, according to records provided by DOPT and PMO.

For instance, in August 2008, the selection committee cleared the names of four people in its meeting on 27th August 2008, namely Annapurna Dixit, M L Sharma, S N Mishra and Shailesh Gandhi. Before this meeting, the following applications/recommendations were received by the PMO and DOPT:

· President of Bar Council of India recommended the name of Sudhanshu Ranjan (a journalist) to the Prime Minister and DOPT.
· 7 MPs names, Nakul Das Rai (MP), Shivanand Tiwari (MP), Sukhdeo Paswan (MP), Rajniti Prasad (MP), Ganesh Prasad Singh (MP), Lalhming Lian (MP) and Alok Kumar Mehta (MP) recommended the name of Dr Krishna Kabir Anthony.
· Bhupinder Singh Hooda, CM Haryana, Naveen Jindal (MP), Dr Karan Singh (MP) and Kumari Selja, MOS recommended the name of Ravi Shankar Singh, a journalist

However, the agenda note prepared by DOPT did not contain any of the above names. The agenda note was prepared by S K Sarkar, the then Joint Secretary in DOPT. He included the name of his own boss S N Mishra (the then DOPT Secretary), and the names of Mrs Annapurna Dixit, Ashok K Mohapatra, R B Shreekumar, M L Sharma and Shailesh Gandhi. Whereas Shailesh Gandhi’s name was proposed by several RTI activists through an open letter to the Government, but where did other names come from? According to records, none of them applied for these posts, nor were their names recommended by anyone. This means that something is happening outside the files. Who called up these people and asked them for their CVs? Why were only these people contacted?

Several questions arise. Firstly, how were the people like Ravi Shankar Singh, Sudhanshu Ranjan and Dr Krishna Kabir Anthony found unfit and not even put up to selection committee? Who did their assessment and on what basis? Who decided that these names should not be put up to the selection committee?

The agenda note is prepared by DOPT. Obviously someone in DOPT decided to reject these names. Does DOPT have these powers under RTI Act to reject names? No. DOPT merely acts as secretariat to the selection committee. It neither has the powers to reject anyone nor select anyone.

Next question is - how did the bio-datas of S N Mishra, Annapurna Dixit, Ashok Mohapatra, R B Shreekumar and M L Sharma make it to the file? How did these names make it to agenda note? How was it decided to include these names and not others?

It is surprising that the names recommended by MPs, Chief Ministers and Cabinet Ministers are not even put up to the selection committee. But some other names make it to agenda note.

Interestingly, S N Mishra was the then DOPT Secretary. All this was happening under his nose. He shamelessly includes his own name in the agenda note and excludes those of others.

It appears that the DOPT has become de-facto selection committee and selection committee provided in the law has been reduced to an endorsement committee. The selection committee merely endorses the names put up to it.

In its first meeting on 5th October 2005, 5 names were put up to selection committee and it cleared all the five names. In its next meeting on 27th August 2008, six names were put up and it cleared four of them. In the next meeting on 6th April 2009, only one name was put up and the same was cleared. In the meeting on 25th August 2009, four names were put up and it selected two of them. DOPT, by rejecting all names and presenting a very short list of names, creates a situation of fait accompli for the selection committee, wherein the committee almost endorses what is presented to them.

For instance, Omita Paul, who is known to be quite close to Pranab Mukherjee and has worked with him for many years, was working as Advisor to him before last Parliamentary elections. After the announcement of elections, the selection committee met specially on 6.4.09 to clear her name for the post of Information Commissioner. Only one name was presented to the selection committee and the committee cleared that name.

Interestingly, this was done in violation of model code of conduct. Though the Joint Secretary, in his notings, warned his seniors that model code of conduct was in operation and permission from Election Commission would be required, however, the permission was never sought. One wonders what was the hurry for appointing her? Omita joined on 13th May. Interestingly, as soon as UPA came to power, Omita resigned within a month on 26th June and went back and joined Pranab Mukherjee again.

What emerges from all this is that DOPT has become de facto selection or rejection committee. It rejects the names of all those who either apply or are recommended by others. It then prepares its own list of names (sources of which are unknown) and includes in this list, the names of its own bosses. The selection committee provided in RTI Act has been reduced to an endorsement committee of DOPT.

What does the law say? The law prescribes a selection committee consisting of the PM, Leader of Opposition and one Cabinet Minister. Then it says that the incumbent should be a person of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance. He should not be a Member of Parliament or Member of any Legislature or hold any other office of profit or connected with any political party or carrying on any business or pursuing any profession.

The law does not provide for any procedure how nominations would be invited and how would they be processed. DOPT had a duty to make rules under section 27 of RTI Act to lay down procedures. However, DOPT has not made any rules so far.

Selection Committee meeting on 5th Oct 2005:

Who applied?

1. G C Srivastava, IAS (Retd) – he applied himself.
2. Shri Lakshmi Chand, IAS (Retd) - – he applied himself.
3. Shri R Ganesan, (IPoS:69), Secy & DG, Chairman, Postal Service Board, Department of Posts – he applied himself.
4. Shri G Mohal Kumar, (IPoS:69), Member (Personnel), Postal Service Board, Deptt of Posts – he applied himself.
5. Shri P R Devi Prasad (IES:82) – he applied himself.
6. Shri K Jaikumar, Dir (IT) in D/o AR&PG no specific post mentioned – he applied himself.
7. Rameshbhai’s name recommended by Nirmala Deshpande, MP to the PM
8. Smt Neena Ranjan, Secy, Ministry of Culture – she applied herself.
9. Prof Akhtarul Wasey (Dean, Jamia Milia Islamia)
10. Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu (trade union leader from Jharkhand)
11. Nripendra Mishra
12. Mohan Kanda (Chief Secretary to Government of AP)
13. Dinesh Chandra Gupta (former Finance Secretary)
14. Prof Dr B K Chandrashekhar (former Education Minister, Karnataka)
15. Akhtar Majeed (Dean, Hamdard University)

Names which were put up to the selection committee through agenda note:

(None of the above names were put up)

1. Wajahat Habibullah
2. Dr O P Kejariwal
3. A N Tiwari
4. Prof M M Ansari
5. Padma Balasubramanian

Names selected by Selection committee:

All the above five names were selected.

Selection Committee meeting on 27th August 2008:

Who applied?

1. Sudhanshu Ranjan (a journalist) recommended by the President of Bar Council of India to PM and DOPT
2. Dr Krishna Kabir Anthony recommended by Nakul Das Rai (MP), Shivanand Tiwari (MP), Sukhdeo Paswan (MP), Rajniti Prasad (MP), Ganesh Prasad Singh (MP), Lalhming Lian (MP) and Alok Kumar Mehta (MP)
3. Ravi Shankar Singh (a journalist with The Tribune) recommended by Sh Bhupinder Singh Hooda , CM Haryana; Naveen Jindal (MP); Dr Karan Singh (MP) and Kumari Selja, MOS

Names which were put up to the selection committee through agenda note:

(None of the above names were put up)

1. Mrs Annapurna Dixit
2. Ashok K Mohapatra
3. R B Shreekumar
4. M L Sharma
5. Shailesh Gandhi
6. S N Mishra

Names selected by Selection committee:

1. Shailesh Gandhi
2. S N Mishra
3. Annapurna Dixit
4. M L Sharma




Selection Committee meeting on 6th April 2009:

Who applied?

Meeting held suddenly. No one came to know about it. No names found on the file.

Names which were put up to the selection committee through agenda note:

1. Omita Paul

Names selected by Selection committee:

1. Omita Paul

Selection Committee meeting on 25th August 2009:

Who applied?

1. Smt Sushma Singh, Secretary (I&B) recommended by her own Minister Anand Sharma, MOS (External Affairs and I&B) to the PM.
2. Dr C V Ananda Bose recommended by Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs.
3. Saroj Bala, Member (R), CBDT directly applies herself.
4. Mr Choubey recommended by M Veerappa Moily. Mr Moily also writes to Mrs Sonia Gandhi.
5. Adm Pradeep Kaushiva recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
6. Lt Gen Mahajan recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
7. Amitav Tripathi recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
8. Neelam Deo recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
9. Maja Daruwala recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
10. Krishan M Sahni recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
11. Chitra Chopra recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
12. Suman Dubey recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
13. Ishtiaq Hussain recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
14. Sudhanshu Ranjan, a journalist recommended by Sadanand Singh, former Chairperson, Bihar Legislative Assembly. He writes both to Mrs Sonia Gandhi and to the PM.

Names which were put up to the selection committee through agenda note:

(Only Sushma Singh’s name was picked up from the above list. Why only Sushma Singh?)

1. Deepak Sandhu
2. Sushma Singh
3. Mahendra Kumavat
4. R P Agarwal

Names selected by Selection committee:

1. Deepak Sandhu
2. Sushma Singh
==================================

Krish
98215 88114