A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in
the field of
Right to Information
From
Around the World
Issue No: 72
E - Alert
Issue Date: 26-07-2013
Editorial:
Greetings from the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI)!
The news from India is that RTI activists gate crash to wedding parties
to spread message about RTI. We, the RTI activists are becoming innovative!
The News from Pakistan is that KPK government is in the process of
finalizing RTI law. Interesting things are happening in the province with
regard to legislation on right to information. CPDI had prepared a model RTI
law for the province and making it basis for his version, a citizen Mr. Naeem
Sadiq shared it with PTI, the governing party in the province as he had some
friends in the inner circle of the party. The news is that this draft was
shared with KPK government with instructions from the party to legislate it.
Here things become very interesting. The bureaucracy struck and a watered down
version was put before the provincial cabinet which it approved and that too in
the shape of an ordinance and not to be passed as an Act of provincial
assembly. CPDI in its individual capacity and as a partner of Coalition on
Right to Information, (CRTI) has been at the fore front demanding to do away
with this ineffective law. In this connection, CRTI held a press briefing in
the provincial capital on July 24, 2013 which has been largely covered by the
print and electronic media. The moral of the story is never underestimate the
power of bureaucracy. This party, PTI, has come into the power for the first
time and I guess its members are getting lessons into the realities of
governance. We will continue exerting pressure through different advocacy
initiatives for an effective RTI law for the province. The message has already
been received by the KPK government loud and clear but civil society will have
to make concerted efforts for RTI law in this province.
Happy reading,
Transparency and Right to Information Program
---------------
Even PTI, PML-N not serious on Information Rights Bill
The News International
ISLAMABAD: Rhetoric aside, the PML-N and PTI are awkwardly alike in
denying the public the right to information as their provincial governments in
Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have framed Right to Information (RTI) laws
that will change nothing ...
Aided institutions under ambit of RTI, rules High Court
The New Indian Express
In a significant order with far-reaching consequences, the Madras High
Court has brought aided private educational institutions under the ambit of the
RTI (Right To Information Act). In the case pertaining to the Thiagarajar
College of Engineering in ...
Access denied: Legislation for public scrutiny kept private
The Express Tribune
The Right to Information bill should have been implemented following the
18th constitutional amendment in 2010, but lingered on for years under the
Awami National Party's (ANP) tenure. After assuming charge, the PTI government
promptly approved the ...
FOIA Machine aims to make freedom of information even freer
The Verge
A new online service that aims to take the difficulty out of submitting
and tracking Freedom of Information Act requests (FOIAs) has captured the
hearts of Kickstarter backers. It took the 'FOIA Machine' campaign just two
days to reach its $17,500 ...
One out of 45 parties disclose information on sources of funding
Times of India
NEW DELHI: Making their disdain for transparency public, only one of the
45 state political parties has given information on their sources of funding
and allotment of offices and land from government under the Right to
Information (RTI) Act. The ...
RTI activists invite themselves to weddings
Times of India
It could be well be Right to Information (RTI) activists going about
their usual business. In what appears to be a novel move, RTI advocates in
Tamil Nadu are gracefully gate-crashing to turn marriage functions into venues
of RTI awareness campaigns.
FOI bill refilled in Senate
Philippine Star
The initiative bill seeks to address the lack of definite scope and
limitations to the right to information as well as the absence of a uniform and
effective procedure for access to information. It was filed under Section 3 (b)
and Section 11 of ...
Cabinet papers from 2008 set to become available
thejournal.ie
GOVERNMENT PAPERS FROM 2008 are set to become available as a result of
changes to Freedom of Information (FOI) rules the Department of Expenditure and
Reform has confirmed. A story in the today's Irish Times reported that
following a cabinet ...
RTI activist on hunger strike
Times of India
PANAJI: Right to Information (RTI) activist Rajan Ghate resorted to an
indefinite hunger strike on Tuesday to protest the failure of the government to
appoint a chief information commissioner and a state information commissioner.
"The chief minister ...
Right to Information Ordinance: KPK civil society bodies reject draft
The Nation
PESHAWAR - A group of civil society organisations on Wednesday rejected
the proposed draft for an ordinance on Right to Information by the PTI-led
Khyber ...
CSOs see anomalies in proposed ordinance on right to information
The News International
CRTI Coordinator Zahid Abdullah said that despite making tall claims
about good governance and transparency, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led
...
Govt to amend RTI Act to exempt parties
Indian Express
The government has decided to seek Cabinet approval to amend the Right To
Information Act instead of promulgating an ordinance to negate the order of the
Central Information Commission (CIC) to bring political parties under the
purview of the Act.
Zahid Abdullah - Programme Manager
Transparency and Right to Information Program
--------------------------------------------
Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan)
Tel: 051-2101594; 4319430; 2108287
URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org
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