Skip to main content

Andhra RTI users complain: State Information Commission not functioning for 18 months

Anjali Bharadwaj
By A Representative
A public hearing in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, on the Right to Information (RTI) Act, saw participants from across the state highlight problems faced by people, as the state information commission (SIC) is not functional for the last 18 months. Co-organised by the United Forum for RTI, Andhra Pradesh, and the National Campaign for Peoples' Right to Information (NCPRI), those who heard people's testimonies included EAS Sarma, former IAS officer, Anjali Bhardwaj, co-convener, NCPRI, and B Ramakrishna Raju, national convenor, National Alliance for Peoples' Movements (NAPM).
After the bifurcation of the state of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, the SIC of Andhra Pradesh continued to function as the information commission for both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The commission became defunct in May 2017 after the serving informational commissioners retired. Since then, the commission has been non-functional, it was pointed out. RTI activists, meanwhile, have filed cases in the Hyderabad High Court and the Supreme Court regarding people's fundamental right to information being "frustrated" due to absence of the commission.
The Andhra Pradesh government issued an order regarding the constitution of the SIC of Andhra Pradesh in August 2017, and has now appointed three commissioners in October 2018. However, no chief information commissioner has been appointed and the commission remains non-functional. No appeals and complaints regarding violations of the RTI Act are being heard.
A participant from Vijaynagram said that he had sought a copy of the report of the SIT set up by the government to look into a land scam. His RTI application has been denied and in the absence of the state information commission, he is unable to appeal against the denial. Another RTI user pointed out, his RTI application seeking details of foreign trips by the chief minister and his son was denied and he too is unable to take the matter forward as the commission has not been constituted. Yet another RTI activist added, his appeal to the commission has been pending since 2010.

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

Kutch water crisis deepens: Bhuj lost 54 of its 82 lakes; pastoralists migrate first time since 2018

By Rajiv Shah   A comprehensive new report by Homes In The City (HIC), a Bhuj-based civil society programme, has revealed that despite late monsoon rains easing Kutch's immediate drought conditions, the region faces a deepening water security crisis — with Bhuj having lost more than half of its historic lakes and pastoral communities forced to migrate for the first time since 2018.
Post a Comment
»

From a cowshed to a home: How Mangaltai's Palawi gives HIV-positive children a second life

By Dr A.V. Yadappanavar *  In a small village called Takli, not far from the temple town of Pandharpur in Maharashtra, there is a home where children who were once abandoned because of their HIV status now find food, medicine, education, and something even rarer — love without fear. The home is called Palawi, and it was founded in 2001 by Mangal Shah, affectionately known as Mangaltai, a social worker who could not look away from children rejected by their own families.
Post a Comment
»

Tribal rights under siege: Roundtable Seeks strong legal defence of land, jobs and PESA

By A Representative  Tribal rights activists, legal experts, tribal leaders, former officials and civil society representatives from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have called  for urgent action on tribal land rights, employment and PESA safeguards. They were participating in  roundtable on Constitutional Safeguards for Scheduled Tribes in the Telugu States at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS), Hyderabad. Former Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao chaired the deliberations.
Post a Comment
»