RTI amendment bill unlikely in current session of Parliament

New Delhi, Aug 19 (UNI) The Bill for amending the Right to Information Act was unlikely to be introduced in the current session of Parliament as the Prime Minister would like to give more thought to the matter in view of widespread apprehensions expressed over the issue, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachauri said here.

The session was concluding on August 25, whereas Mr Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi had decided to give more time to the issue and discuss it with stakeholders first, so it would not be possible to bring in the Bill in the current session, Mr Pachauri said.

He said the two leaders had received several representations against diluting the Act in any form.

Meanwhile, according to social activist and 'Campaign to Save RTI Act' leader Aruna Roy, Ms Gandhi today assured a delegation of rihhts activists led by here that she would immediately speak to the government to issue a statement on the status of the RTI amendments.

A press release issued by the Campaign here said she sought categorical assurance from Ms Gandhi and the UPA on the withdrawl of amendments.

UNI NAZ MSJ RN2025