*SHANTARAM NAIK M P*** *Chairman, ***
*Standing Committee of Parliament on Departments of *** *Personnel, Public Grievances ,Law and Justice*** *Camp:MUMBAI*** *Mob: 09868181344*** * 09422439990*** *7th October October, 2013*** * * * * *Law and Justice Committee examining R.T.I (Amendment) Bill- Shantaram Naik* * * For the favour of Publication** * * * *Mr Shantaram Naik, M.P and Chairman of Standing Committee of Parliament of Department of Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, said in Mumbai on Monday that the committee is *examining the R.T.I (Amendment) Bill 2013*, which seeks to nullify the recent judgment of Central Information Commission, by which the Commission has sought to bring political parties within the ambit of "public authority". Mr Naik, who briefed the media in Mumbai on Monday said that he cannot be expected to disclose details about the proceedings of the meetings Committee had in Mumbai on 6th and 7th but, he said, *he can only give a gist of the three key bills which were discussed by the Committee and which are in public domain.*** *Apart from the R.T.I (Amendment) Bill, *2013, the Committee discussed Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill 2013 and Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2013 in Committee's meeting in Chennai. Political parties such as Indian National Congress, Bhartiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, MNS, BSP, SP and other political parties gave their inputs on RTI Amendment Bill. Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, Shri Jayantkumar Banthia, Advocate General Shri Darius Khambata, Law Secretary Shri Vijay Achliya ,members of bar, senior advocates and NGOs, appeared before the committee on the bill dealing with judicial appointments, RTI etc. Committee will also hold meetings in Mumbai and Jaipur from 6th to 10th of this month, Mr Naik said. In Jaipur apart from the three bills, the Committee will hear the views on *Rajasthan Legislative Council Bill 2013.** * ** * * Mr Naik said that as regards RTI, Committee is examining the scope of the definition of public authority in the Act as passed by Parliament and whether the Commission *has expanded the definition, which has resulted in Parliament *introducing , the bill as a corrective measure. Further Mr Naik said that the committee is also examining whether the *exhaustive information which is required to be given under RTI if provided to be given to the *applicants ,what will be scope of such information and consequences of such disclosure on functioning of National and State parties in India. Committee is examining whether proceedings of the meetings of various confidential nature held by political parties, which are held for the *short listing and/ or finalising candidates will be required to be disclosed if the judgment of CIC is made *final and the bill does not become a law, Mr Naik said. As regards Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, 2013, the Committee is examining its scope in the background of the existing system, which neither gives an exclusive jurisdiction to executive to make appointments in judicial appointments nor does it proposes to continue the present system where the judiciary alone has the say in the matter of judicial appointments. *The bill, which is a via media is being examined from that angle.*** * * * In countries like U.K, U.SA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEWZEALAND, SOUTH AFRICA, SINGAPORE, FRANCE, GERMANY, SRI LANKA, JAPAN AND RUSSIA, IT IS THE GOVERNMENTS WHICH PLAY PRIMARY ROLE IN THE MATTER OF APPOINTMENTS TO THE JUDICIAL POSTS. COMMITTEE IS EXAMINING THIS ASPECT TOO, Mr naik said*** The bill on the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill 2013 attempts to improve the existing law by making provision to punish *bribe giver, make* provision which requires government sanction, mandatory for *government servants, after retirement or *after they cease to hold office. Mr Naik said the bill also proposes to *punish persons in charge of commercial organisations trying to bribe public servants.*** It also provides for *confiscation of bribe and proceeds of bribery and attachment of properties accumulated by corrupt means,* Mr Naik said. RELEASED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF PARLIAMENT OF DEPARTMENTS OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES, LAW AND JUSTICE *CAPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH ATTACHED:* *Mr. Shantaram Naik, M.P and Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice addressing a Press Conference in Mumbai on Monday. Also seen in the photograph are Shri Shailendra Kumar, Shri **Shri P.C. Gaddigoudar and Shri S.D. "Shariq" all M.Ps.* * *