Activists oppose RTI Act changes

SHILLONG: RTI activists in the state are miffed with the move of the Union government to amend the Right to Information Act (RTI).
A critical piece of legislation that seeks to amend the landmark transparency law, RTI, was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday amid protests by all key Opposition parties. To become a law, the bill will now need the approval of the Rajya Sabha, where the government is in a minority. The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019, passed with a voice vote in the Lower House, seeks to empower the Central government on deciding the terms of chief information commissioners and information commissioners at both the Central and state levels, as well as have a say on the salaries, allowances and other terms and conditions of service.
CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing, who has effectively used the medium of RTI to bring out various loopholes and corruption in the government, said that the Centre without public consensus should not amend the Act.
“The amendments must come to the public for its views and those should be taken before bringing necessary amendments,” she said while adding that if the amendments are passed without involving public, it would hamper the Act. On the other hand, Congress youth leader Richard Marak said that it is a “dark day for democracy”.