PHDCCI objects to amendments in RTI Act

Shimla Aug 17 (UNI) The PHD Chambers of Commerce and Industry (PDHCCI) has objected to the Centre's decision to exclude file notings from the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, saying the notings should be made public as these formed the bases of any government decision.

The Indian bureaucracy had been responding well to the one-year-old RTI Act and the proposed changes were uncalled for. The legislation should not come with any riders, PHDCCI President Sushma Berlia said in a statement issued here.

The Union government has recently proposed to amend the Act, saying the file notings relating to identifiable individuals, groups of individuals, organisations, appointments, matters relating to inquiries and departmental proceedings should not be disclosed to the public.

Ms Berlia said the government's contention that file notings in the US, UK and Australia were also excluded was contrary to its claim since only internal communication between the government departments was withheld and that too only for the period the decisions were being deliberated upon.

On the other hand, all file notings in the US were made public soon after the decision had been taken, she said.

The PHDCCI President said the notings should be made public since these formed the bases of any decision by the government, besides people have the right to know where their money was being spent.

It was unclear as to why the government was going ahead with the proposal since the public already has no access to any paper relating to national security or strategic interests as per Section eight of the Act, she said.

Ms Berlia said the proposed amendment would render the RIA meaningless and lead to further ''mystification of the government functioning''.

UNI AS PS CS HS1719