Patna: Ùpset with Bihar's NDA government
for its decision to amend the Right to Information Act, social
activists in the state are preparing to challenge the decision
in the Patna High Court as the opposition RJD-LJP too opposed
the amendments.
"We are now left with no option other than challenging
the arbitrary amendment to the act in Bihar," senior RTP
(right to people) activist Praveen Amanullah said on Saturday.
"We will also launch a campaign against the
amendment," she said describing the move as "undemocratic and
violation of human rights".
Amanullah, who shot off a letter to Chief Minister
Nitish Kumar, alleged that the decision would serve the
interests of government officials only.
The state cabinet at its meeting on Tuesday decided to
amend the act in keeping with the guidelines laid down by the
Centre under which a person cannot seek more than one bit of
of information in one application and will have to pay Rs.10
for every query. Earlier, several queries could be put through
in one petition by paying the same amount.
Chief opposition RJD-LJP described the amendment as
'anti-poor and undemocratic' and called for withdrawing the
changes with immediate effect.
"The state government has brought the amendment to
shield its officials... we will oppose the amendment with full
force", RJD spokesman Shakeel Ahmed Khan said.
The state government had defended its decision saying
it would facilitate quick response to the information being
sought by the applicants.
"The changes had been made to make RTI more effective
and prevent its misuse. They are as per central government
guidelines," state Personnel and Administrative Reforms
Secretary Dipak Kumar said.
A total of 42,000 of the 50,000 applications received
under the RTI Act during 2007-08 have been disposed of.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, November 21, 2009, 20:23