RIGHT TO INFORMATION Act, 2005

Political Science

Submitted by:
Prateek Kumar
2013085
SEMESTER 1ST
DAMODARAM SANJIVAYYA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY
VISAKHAPATNAM

INDEX
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SR. NO.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

TOPIC
Acknowledgement
Introduction
Concept
Objectives
Preamble
Role played by Key Stakeholders
Pritam Rooj v University of Calcutta & Others
Vaishnavi Kasturi v Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
Articles

PG. NO.
3
4
4
6
8
8
11
13
14

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
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I owe great thanks to my Political Science faculty, Ms. T.Y. Nirmala Devi and my faculty for
consultation, Prof. M. Lakshmipathi Raju for guiding me in doing this project. I would also
thank my senior, Mr. Garvit Kumar in helping me with the project. Lastly, Id thank God for
being with me always.

INTRODUCTION
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The Right to Information Act, 2005 mandates timely response to citizen requests for
government information. It is an initiative taken by Department of Personnel and
Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions to provide
a RTI Portal Gateway to the citizens for quick search of information on the details of first
Appellate Authorities,PIOs etc. amongst others, besides access to RTI related information /
disclosures published on the web by various Public Authorities under the government of India
as well as the State Governments.
www.rti.gov.in

CONCEPT
At the International level, Right to Information and its aspects find articulation as a human
right in most important basic human rights documents, namely, the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. At regional levels, there are numerous
other human rights documents, which include this fundamental right for example, the
European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the
American Convention on Human Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights,
etc. The Commonwealth has also formulated principles on freedom of information. The
Indian Parliament had enacted the Freedom of Information Act, 2002 in order to promote,
transparency and accountability in administration. The National Common Minimum Program
of the Government envisaged that Freedom of Information Act will be made more
progressive, participatory and meaningful, following which, decision was made to repeal
the Freedom of Information Act, 2002 and enact a new legislation in its place. Accordingly,
Right to Information Bill, 2004 (RTI) was passed by both the Houses of Parliament on
May, 2005 which received the assent of the President on 15th June, 2005. The Right to
Information Act was notified in the Gazette of India on 21st June, 2005. The The Right to
Information Act became fully operational from 12th October, 2005. This new law empowers
Indian citizens to seek any accessible information from a Public Authority and makes the
Government and its functionaries more accountable and responsible. During the period of the
implementation of the RTI Act i.e. October 2005 onwards, it has become evident that there
are many anticipated and unanticipated consequences of the Act. These have manifested
themselves in various forms, while some of the issues pertain to procedural aspects of the
Government; others pertain to capacity building, and so on. The most important aspect to be
recognized is that there are issues to be addressed at various ends for effective
implementation of the Act. There have been many discussions and debates about the
effectiveness and impact of the Act. The Civil Society Organizations and Government
agencies have been engaging themselves in the debate over various aspects of the Act and its
effectiveness and interpretations. There is a broad consensus that the implementation of the
Act needs to be improved to achieve the objectives. At the same time there is evidence to
suggest that the information seekers too have to learn how to use the Act more effectively.
While there is significant information both anecdotal and quantitative on the level of
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implementation of the Act, there was limited systematic and comprehensive review available
for action by the appropriate Governments. This in turn necessitated a review of all the
aspects necessary to analyze the current situation and draw up a plan to bridge the gaps. In
the above context, Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public
Grievances and Pension, Government of India, had engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
for assessing and evaluating the Act with specific reference to the key issues and constraints
faced by the Information Providers7 and Information Seekers. The scope of study
included review of the experiences of the Central and State Governments in implementing the
RTI Act, review of the experiences of various categories of information seekers8, diagnosis
of the situation, suggestion of the nature of interventions to be made and preparation of action
plan/recommendations. The assessment of the current situation through various market
research tools has resulted in identification of the current problem areas. These problems
areas have been analysed/ discussed in various workshops/meetings to define time-bound
actionable steps to make the Act an effective tool of good governance 7 Organizations and
Government agencies have been engaging themselves in the debate over various aspects of
the Act and its effectiveness and interpretations. There is a broad consensus that the
implementation of the Act needs to be improved to achieve the objectives. At the same time
there is evidence to suggest that the information seekers too have to learn how to use the Act
more effectively. While there is significant information both anecdotal and quantitative on
the level of implementation of the Act, there was limited systematic and comprehensive
review available for action by the appropriate Governments. This in turn necessitated a
review of all the aspects necessary to analyze the current situation and draw up a plan to
bridge the gaps. In the above context, Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of
Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India, had engaged
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for assessing and evaluating the Act with specific reference
to the key issues and constraints faced by the Information Providers7 and Information
Seekers. The scope of study included review of the experiences of the Central and State
Governments in implementing the RTI Act, review of the experiences of various categories of
information seekers8, diagnosis of the situation, suggestion of the nature of interventions to
be made and preparation of action plan/recommendations. The assessment of the current
situation through various market research tools has resulted in identification of the current
problem areas. These problems areas have been analysed/ discussed in various
workshops/meetings to define time-bound actionable steps to make the Act an effective tool
of good governance.

OBJECTIVES
The sole objective of the Right to Information Act 2005 is as following:
An Act to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to
secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote
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transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority, the constitution of a
Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions and for matters
connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Above statement articulated as a soul objective in the Act includes the following objectives /
points:
To setup the practical regime:
However, article 19(1)(a) of the Indias constitution provides Freedom of Expression,
as a Fundamental Right and as well as in the matter of State of UP v Raj Narain(1975)4
SCC 428, Supreme Court of India has already declared Right To Know as a
fundamental Right under article 19(1)(a). It means to know the information any one can
approach to the High Court or Supreme Court directly, but this efforts was not enough to
avail the information properly and systematically as well as uncertainty was their
regarding its applicability which was creating ambiguous situation and facing difficulties
to avail the information from the various agencies of government and non-government
organizations. Therefore in order to provide systematic and concrete mechanism
Parliament of India enacted Right To Information Act 2005 which facilitate the citizen
to avail all kind of information with reasonable restriction mentioned as a general and
specific exception under Section 8, 9, and 24 of the same Act.
For citizens:
According to Section 3 of RTI Act only citizen of India is eligible to file the application for
any information subject to this Act but the guideline issued by Ministry of Personnel, Public
Grievances & Pensions Department of Personnel & raining, through their letter
No.1/69/2007-IR dated 27th February 2008, directs that, if any RTI Application filed on the
behalf of organization, in such case, instead of rejection that should be accepted as a personal
application on the behalf of that name of the person mentioned in the RTI Application.
To secure access to information under the control of public authorities,
Definition of Public Authority articulated in Section 2(h) of RTI Act includes all the
governmental organizations, and as well as , those Non Governmental Organizations
substantially financed by the Government but Act doesnt revealed the percentage of financial
aids for this purpose which raise the ambiguous situation and dependability on the courts
decision.
The expression under the control of public authority which is perused in final part of the
Section 2(f) while defining the word Information that, information relating to any private
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body, which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in
force means citizen can access the information which is directly related to the activities of
that Public Authority as well as those information regarding private body which is held by
that Public authority. So in this way indirectly citizen can access the information related to
the private bodies from the government offices who are authorised to control or monitor
them, or connected in any way under any other laws for the time being in force.
To promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority,
This Act ensure to eradicate the any type of corruption in Public Authority by providing
mandatory obligation to the Public Authority to make ensure to disseminate the information
sought by the Indian citizen within a certain time period with nominal fee,. As well as Section
4 impose Public authority to maintain and provide access all the information specified in the
Section 4(b) by applying suo motu (self initiative) action. So, due to the mandatory
dissemination of information in the accessible format definitely transparency and
accountability can established because that information not only help to aware the puple as
well as could admit as a evidence in any legal procedure.
The constitution of a Central Information Commission and State Information
Commissions:
To provide the proper remedy with objectivity state and central commissions has been
established seperatly by this Act (Refer Chapter 3 & 4 respectively). In such Commissions
Second Appeal and Complaint can be filed by citizen without any fee. The status of Chief
Commissioners and other Commissioners are same as the Chief and other Election
Commissioners respectively.
Matters connected to Public Authority or incidental thereto:
This is the first Act in India which provides the controlling power to the citizen in which
Public Authorities are compelled to disseminate the information which is either directly or
indirectly connected to them. Even if sought information is not belongs to particular Public
Authority, in such case, that Public Authority is compelled to transfer to the relevant Public
Authority instead of rejection.

PREAMBLE

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An Act to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to
secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote
transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority, the constitution of a
Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions and for matters
connected therewith or incidental thereto.
WHEREAS the Constitution of India has established democratic Republic;
AND WHEREAS democracy requires an informed citizenry and transparency of information
which are vital to its functioning and also to contain corruption and to hold Governments and
their instrumentalities accountable to the governed;
AND WHEREAS revelation of information in actual practice is likely to conflict with other
public interests including efficient operations of the Governments, optimum use of limited
fiscal resources and the preservation of confidentiality of sensitive information;
AND WHEREAS it is necessary to harmonise these conflicting interests while preserving the
paramountcy of the democratic ideal;
NOW, THEREFORE, it is expedient to provide for furnishing certain information to citizens
who desire to have it.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Fifty- sixth Year of the Republic of India.
Role played by Key Stakeholders
RTI Act has the potential to bring in a socio-economic revolution, provided that various
agencies take up their responsibilities as per the spirit of the Act. The CivilSociety
Organizations and Media can act as pressure points, but most of the execution is to be carried
out by the appropriate Governments and Information Commissions. Based on the secondary
research and discussions with key stakeholders, the key roles played by various entities are:
Civil Society Organizations
Civil Society Organizations and social activists are enhancing the reach and awareness of
RTI among the masses. It is mostly with the support of the social activists and Civil Society
Organizations that a person in a village is able to use the RTI Act for ensuring his basic rights.
However given the geographical size & population, the reach of Civil Society Organizations
and social activists is limited.
Civil society has also made contribution towards training of PIOs and AAs and made them
aware of their roles and responsibilities under the RTI Act.

Media

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 Media has played an important role in generating awareness at a mass scale. While there has
been no major media campaign for promoting the usage of RTI Act, nonetheless the
awareness on the Act has been generated through news articles based on RTI investigation.
In the context of RTI implementation, journalists at times have played a dual role as the
users of RTI Act and as watchdogs, monitoring and scrutinizing the implementation of the
Act.
Various media entities have contributed to the mass awareness and bringing in transparency
through their websites.

Central Government
Basic institutional structure/processes has been set up as per the RTI act requirement (like
appointment of Information Commissioners, PIOs, section 4(1) (b) etc.)
Department of Personnel & Training has been made the Nodal Department for the RTI
implementation at the Central level.
A centrally-sponsored scheme for capacity building and awareness generation for effective
implementation of the RTI Act has been commissioned in the 11th five year plan.
UNDP with DoPT as an implementation partner launched the Capacity Building for Access
to Information project. This project aimed at
- Capacity building of Government officials at Central, State and district level, especially
those of the identified Department with maximum public interface
- Generating awareness among the citizens
- Establishment of institutional mechanism processes for enhanced citizen Government
interface and for addressing citizens views and feedback.
- Business Process Re-engineering
- Expansion of information in public domain
- Research communications and Advocacy
- Network of practitioners

State Government
Various State Governments had already enacted laws for access to information in some form
or the other, like Tamil Nadu (1997), Goa (1997), Rajasthan (2000), Karnataka (2000),

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Delhi (2001), Maharashtra (2002), Madhya Pradesh (2003), Assam (2002) and Jammu and
Kashmir (2004).
Post the enactment of the Central Act, some State Governments have taken innovative
initiatives in line with the spirit of the Act. The key initiatives are:
- Jankari Call Centre, Government of Bihar: Bihar Government has initiated a six-seater call
centre. This call centre facilitates a caller in drafting the RTI application and the fee is
collected through the phone bill. Requisite changes have been made in the rules for
acceptance of the application through this channel. Similarly RTI Helpline in Bangalore is
providing RTI information to citizens.
- Information Commission regional offices in Maharashtra: As per Section 15(7) of the RTI
Act, the SIC can increase their geographical reach through establishing offices at other
places. Maharashtra has created 5 offices of the Information Commission in Pune, Mumbai,
Aurangabad, Amravati and Nagpur to enable citizens to approach the most convenient
regional office.
- Train the Trainer concept in Assam: Assam has adapted a Train the Trainers concept,
where the Government trains the CSOs/NGOs to impart training to citizens on RTI in order to
maximize the reach of RTI and ensure that there is local ownership and sustainability.
- Review of Public Authorities by Andhra Pradesh State Information Commission.
- Public hearings at the district headquarters by Kerala State Information Commission.
- The CIC website has a feature for online submission of complaints and second appeals.

Pritam Rooj v University of Calcutta & Others

Facts
The petitioner, Pritam Rooj (hereafter Pritam) had taken the B.Sc. Part II (Three Year
Honours) Examination, 2007 conducted by the University. Although Pritam was successful in
clearing the examination, he was dissatisfied with the marks awarded to him in respect of
Papers V and VI. He obtained 28 and 36 marks respectively out of a maximum 100. In terms
of the regulations framed by the University, he applied for review of his answer scripts in
respect of the aforesaid two papers. On revaluation, his marks in Paper V increased by 4
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marks while there was no change in Paper VI. He then filed an application under the Right to
Information Act, 2005 (hereafter the RTI Act) seeking inspection of his answer scripts. That
application was turned down by the Registrar of the University, who is also its Public
Information Officer in terms of the RTI Act, which reads as follows: " In response to your
above application I am to inform you that it has been decided that henceforth no inspection of
any answer script of any examination conducted by the University shall be allowed to any
applicant under the Right To Information Act, 2005."
Feeling aggrieved by the said order, Pritam preferred the writ petition seeking production of
the answer scripts before the Hon'ble Court for revaluation/reexamination by an expert
examiner as also for withdrawal/recalling of the order of rejection. The petition was contested
by the University. On hearing the parties, the writ petition was allowed by the learned Single
Judge. The operative part of the order reads as follows: "As much as an examining body may
owe an obligation to its set of examiners, it owes a greater fiduciary duty to its examinees.
The examinees are at the heart of a system to cater to who is brought the examining body and
its examiners. If it is the right of a voter, for the little man to have the curriculum vitae of the
candidates who seek his insignificant vote, the right of the examinee is no less to seek
inspection of his answer-script.
Whether it is on the anvil of the legal holy trinity of justice, equity and good conscience, or
on the test of openness and transparency being inherent in human rights, or by the myriad
tools of construction, or even by the Wednesbury yardstick of reasonableness, the State
Public Information Officer's rejection of the writ petitioner's request to obtain his answerscript cannot be sustained. The University will proceed to immediately offer inspection of the
paper that the petitioner seeks. A Writ of Mandamus in that regard must issue. The previous
order is set aside." The petitioner is the father of an examinee who had appeared in the
Madhyamik Examination, 2007 conducted by the West Bengal Board of Secondary
Education (hereafter the WBBSE). The examinee concerned secured first division but due to
shortage of 4 (four) marks only, he fell short of 75% marks in the aggregate which would
have enabled him to the award of a 'star'. The examinee obtained 59, 73 and 50 marks in the
English, Physical Science and History papers respectively out of a maximum 100 and felt
aggrieved.
The petitioner had then filed an application under Section 6 of the RTI Act on seeking
inspection of answer scripts. But the Deputy Secretary (Examination) of the WBBSE being
its Public Information Officer turned down the request. An appeal was preferred there against
which was allowed by the Appellate Authority being the Joint Secretary, School Education
Department, Government of West Bengal. The Appellate Authority directed the Public
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Information Officer of the WBBSE to allow inspection of the scripts as applied for by the
petitioner vide his application within 10 days of receipt of such order after realizing fees as
per provisions of the West Bengal Right to Information Rules, 2006. In the result, the order
impugned before was set aside.
The order of the Appellate Authority was not complied with by the WBBSE which resulted in
filing of the writ petition claiming an order on the WBBSE to grant inspection of the answer
scripts to the petitioner and to his son written by him in respect of English, Physical Science
and History papers in compliance with the appellate order together with a direction for reexamination of such scripts.
The aforesaid order of the appellate authority is the subject matter of challenge in the writ
petition filed by the WBBSE. The WBBSE has prayed for quashing of such appellate order
on various grounds urged in the petition.
The orders of its Public Information Officer rejecting the applications under Section 6 of the
RTI Act of the respective examinees' father were quashed and directions were issued to the
WBBSE to allow inspection of the scripts as prayed for in the respective CBSE) applications.

The information asked for cannot be supplied due to following reasons:

(i) The Information asked by you is exempted under Section 8(1)(e) since CBSE
shares fiduciary relationship with its evaluators and maintain confidentiality of both
manner and method of evaluation.
(ii) Further, the Examination Bye-laws of the Board also provide that no candidate
shall claim or entitled, revaluation of his/her answers or disclosure or inspection of
answer book(s) or other documents.
(iii) The larger public interest does not warrant the disclosure of such information
desired by you.
(iv) Central Information Commission has also ruled out such disclosure.
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Issue
Does Inspection of Answer Scripts come under the privilege of RTI?

Judgment
The writ petition stands allowed within a direction upon the CBSE to grant inspection of the
answer scripts to the information seekers/examinees concerned within four weeks from
receipt of a copy of this judgment.
Prayer made by the examinees for re-evaluation of the scripts, however, stands refused. It
shall be open to them seek relief in this behalf in appropriate proceedings, if initiated, after
they have access to the assessed/examined answer scripts.

Vaishnavi Kasturi V Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore

Facts
Ms. Vaishnavi Kasturi of Bangalore, a visually handicapped person, filed an application with
the PIO, the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, regarding her written examination of
CAT in 2006 for admission during the academic year 2007 and secured a percentile of 89.29.
The Complainant stated that she fell in the category of the Disabled persons. She wanted to
know the details about her percentile after the Group Discussion and Interview. She also
wanted to know the names and percentile marks obtained by other candidates who had been
short-listed in PWD category, names and percentile marks obtained by the selected blind
candidates for GD and PI and also wanted to know where she stood in the merit list. The PIO
vide his letter replied to her RTI application. Not satisfied with the decision of the PIO, Ms.

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Vaishnavi Kasturi approached the Central Information Commission with a complaint. The
matter was then heard by the Central Information Commission.

Decision
The Complainants basic demand was that the IIM-Bangalore should disclose in advance the
weightage given to the CAT examinees for each of the parameters. The Respondents stated
that in respect to the particular candidate, they were prepared to disclose her position, vis-vis the last candidate together with details of the weightage of marks. However, the
Karnataka Information Commission ruled that despite substantial funding from the state
government, the IIM-B did not come under the jurisdiction or control of the state
government. It noted that the IIM-B did not get recurrent funds from the state government
and therefore did not come under its control.
Central Information Commission directed that the criteria for selection ought to be made
public. Following this, the IIM did informally convey to Vaishnavi that her candidature had
not been considered as she had not have the requisite marks in her Standard 10th and 12th
examinations. Later on, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore put the information asked
for in this case on their website.

ARTICLES

Students can seek copy, inspect answer sheets under RTI Act
AHMEDABAD: Results are out and there will be some students who will not be satisfied
with their results. Those students can inspect their evaluated answer book under RTI Act,
2005. Supreme Court of India has very specifically ruled out that students can inspect their
answer sheet under RTI Act and any by-laws or rules/regulation of Education
Board/Examination Board cannot prevent them from doing so.
Gujarat Information commission vide its order dated 4th June, 2007 confirmed the same
view. But Examination bodies in Gujarat are preventing students from exercising their right
to inspect answer book or obtaining a copy of it under by-laws of Examination Body.
Education Board has gone to high court and has obtained stay order against the order of GIC.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court has affirmed the right to inspect the answer book in the above
mentioned case and has also specifically observed that students can also obtain certified copy
of the answer book. Supreme Court of India is the Apex Court of the nation and its judgment
has binding effect.
Students can make an application under RTI Act to the Education Body in prescribed form.
Supreme Court of India, in Civil Appeal No 6454/2011, has made it clear that students can
inspect their answer sheet under RTI Act. There are few other important aspects which court
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has observed. Issues in the present case were regarding inspection & re-evaluation of answer
sheet as well as providing certified copy of answer sheet. Students can also Contact RTI
Helpline on 9924085000.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-15/ahmedabad/39280438_1_answersheet-rti-act-rti-helpline

Right to Information Act has empowered people, reveals study

The government's claims of the Right to Information (RTI) Act being increasingly used in a
frivolous manner, mentioned on several occasions by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
himself, isn't an accurate reflection of events on the ground.
In fact, a latest study of at least two dozen RTI applications by the Commonwealth Human
Rights Initiative (CHRI) suggests otherwise.
The study has revealed that use of the RTI Act has helped litigants win many cases. In one
such case, the Orissa government was forced to reverse a grant of land made to Vedanta's
Anil Agarwal Foundation to establish a private university, as a result of an RTI request.
These cases reveal the efficacy and value of the RTI Act -from fighting "illegal" selection in
jobs to favouritism in government contracts to getting the land meant for a public park back
from the civic bodies. It has also reversed many orders to eventually cancelling mining
operations in Goa. Neighbourhoods too, have benefited against the civic authorities for "
encroaching on their privacy". Combined, the study provides a picture of the RTI Act quite at
odds with the ' frivolous' image the Prime Minister and the government -which are trying to
amend the Act -have tried to put forward.
Adarsh not alone in Maharashtra
Adarsh Housing scam is not the only one which rocked the Maharashtra government. In one
such case involving former chief information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi as the litigant,
the state was hauled up by the court for ' corruption in implementing a housing scheme under
slum rehabilitation programme'. RTI revealed that despite receiving 89 complaints of
corruption in the scheme, the government didn't act and the Court agreed that state and the
anti-corruption branch had not acted as desired.
Another case compiled in the booklet shows how the fisher folk in Thane used RTI to show
that the government didn't renew their lease for boating in a lake in the city and granted it to a
private firm for 25 years without inviting tenders at half the fee they were paying. The firm's
claim of having spent Rs.67 lakh as per its obligation to clean the lake was to no avail with
the fishermen using RTI and pointing out before the Bombay HC that the government had
spent Rs.3 crore in cleaning the lake.
The public sector vs government
National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) fought against the government over the
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latter's decision to grant licence for mineral exploration to Tata Iron and Steel Company
(TISL) in Bastar, Chhattisgarh in 2007. RTI showed the mandatory environment clearance
was not given by the Centre.
The court held that the "central government had failed to comply with its own Act before
issuing the licence to TISL".
Vedanta's trouble
In June 2006, Vedanta Resources Ltd had applied for land to build a private university.In a
visible " favouritism'', the Orissa government sanctioned 7,000 acres of land to Vedanta's Anil
Agarwal Foundation. But the owners of the land moved court against the state.
Through RTI, it was found that the " preliminary enquiry by the district administration before
any acquisition of land for a firm" was not even conducted.The court quashed the grant of
land.
Cops' false claims
One application reveals the bizarre practice of ' confining juveniles with adult offenders'. One
such petition filed alleged this practice as "rampant in Tihar Jail''. The RTI application got a
reply from the prison authorities that about 114 juveniles have been shifted out of Tihar to
observation homes. But a random check ordered by the court showed that about 100 inmates
in Jail No. 6 and 7 were aged between 15 and 17 years.
To the aid of the common man
In 2006, residents of Maya Enclave in west Delhi had moved against DDA for allowing
building of a CNG megafilling station for buses on a public park. Residents cited the earlier
expenditure of about Rs.6 lakh in planting trees and argued that the land cannot be altered for
any other purpose. The litigants even cited past SC green benches' orders slamming
"conversion of green areas for commercial purposes". The court asked DDA to respect the
environmental concerns and public sentiments.
Professors, staff and students of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B)
fought against a liquor vend located just 50 metres from the IIM-B and a hospital. The CEO
of IIM-B filed two complaints and the RTI information revealed that the licence given to the
liquor vendor was for some other location and not near IIM-B.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/how-right-to-information-act-act-has-empowered-peoplerti/1/238609.html

A Look at Some RTI Success Stories

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Over the past six years, the Right-to-Information Act has emerged as a powerful tool for
Indias civil society to promote transparency and hold those in power accountable. The
law, which allows Indian citizens to seek information from most government bodies, was
first implemented in October 2005.
To mark the sixth anniversary of the RTI Act, India Real Time presents a list of some the
most successful RTI cases.
Over the past six years, the Right-to-Information Act has emerged as a powerful tool for
Indias civil society to promote transparency and hold those in power accountable. The
law, which allows Indian citizens to seek information from most government bodies, was
first implemented in October 2005.
To mark the sixth anniversary of the RTI Act, India Real Time presents a list of some of
the most successful RTI cases.
Adarsh Society Scam: The applications filed by RTI activists like Yogacharya Anandji and
Simpreet Singh in 2008 were instrumental in bringing to light links between politicians
and military officials, among others. The 31-storey building, which had permission for six
floors only, was originally meant to house war widows and veterans. Instead, the flats went
to several politicians, bureaucrats and their relatives. The scandal has already led to the
resignation of Ashok Chavan, the former chief minister of Maharashtra. Other state
officials are also under the scanner.
Public Distribution Scam in Assam: In 2007, members of an anti-corruption nongovernmental organization based in Assam, the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, filed an
RTI request that revealed irregularities in the distribution of food meant for people below
the poverty line. The allegations of corruption were probed and several government
officials arrested.
Appropriation of Relief Funds: Information obtained through an RTI application by an
NGO based in Punjab, in 2008 revealed that bureaucrats heading local branches of the
Indian Red Cross Society used money intended for victims of the Kargil war and natural
disasters to buy cars, air-conditioners and pay for hotel bills among other things. Local
courts charged the officials found responsible with fraud and the funds were transferred to
the Prime Ministers Relief Fund.
IIMs Admission Criteria: Vaishnavi Kasturi a visually-impaired student, in 2007 was
denied a seat in the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore, one of the countrys
premier management institutes despite her impressive score at the entrance examination.
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Ms. Kasturi wanted to know why, and wondered whether it was because of her physical
disability. She filed an RTI application to request the institute to disclose their selection
process. Although she failed to gain admission to the institute, her RTI application meant
that IIM had to make its admission criteria public. It emerged that the entrance exam, the
Common Admission Test, actually mattered little compared to Class 10 and 12 results.
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2011/10/14/a-look-at-some-rti-success-stories/

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