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Cabinet approves changes to RTI Act to keep parties out of its ambit
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NEW DELHI: Ignoring concerns raised by civil rights activists the Union Cabinet on Thursday gave its nod for amending the Right to Information (RTI) Act to exclude political parties from its purview. The bill will be placed before the monsoon session starting August 5. The amendments have been necessitated by a Central Information Commission (CIC) order on June 3 that ruled that 6 national parties Congress, BJP, BSP, CPI, CPM and NCPwere public authorities on the grounds that they were substantially funded by the government. The CIC also directed the parties to appoint public information officers by July 15, an order that India

I mmunity to political parties: Cabinet gives nod to amend RTI Act.

was ignored by all 6. The cabinet gave its nod to amend the RTI Act to keep political parties out of the ambit of transparency law. The department of personnel and training (DoPT), which acts as nodal department for the implementation of the RTI Act, in consultation with law ministry moved the proposal to amend the RTI Act. The government seeks to change the definition of public authorities mentioned under Section 2 of the RTI Act to keep all political parties out of the jurisdiction of RTI, the sources said. Government sources said that there was unanimous support from all political parties on the issue. The CIC order argued that political parties received income tax exemptions and doles from government including land, electoral rolls and airtime on public broadcaster at nominal rates on the grounds that they were doing social service. The CIC order said that since the parties' professed to be working for the public, they should be open to scrutiny from the public on the finances and decisions. Political parties across the board have opposed the order. They have argued that political parties are a voluntary association of people and in fact a very small part of their funds come from the government. The parties also said that they were under scrutiny of the Election Commission and the Income Tax authorities. Both parties and candidates are expected to furnish their sources of funding and details of assets owned to both authorities. Prominent activists including Aruna Roy, Shailesh Gandhi, Jayati Ghosh, Kamini Jaiswal,

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Nandita Das, Prashant Bhushan and Soli Sorabjee have written to the PM. Petitions have also been sent to parliamentarians to oppose the act which is unlikely since the bill has near unanimous political support.
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spiritrebellious (candigarh) 4 mins ago

Political parties submit election expenditure incurrrd by the party on the cadidates of the party at the state/national level and candidate submits expenditure to the election commission of india thru returning officer once in 5 years after the election process is over for the parliament/assembly contituencies. Returning officer never takes cognizance of any expenditure done by the candidate of any party in excess of limit fixed by ECI nor any election has ever been set aside on account of exceeding the limit fixed and no political party complains against such violations because every political party indulges in these malpractices. MPs/MLAs are public servants and are covered under PCA then why the party which constitutes of MPs/MLAs should not be covered under the RTI. And why all the political parties are so keen to pass this amendment in such a hurry . Why political parties should not be asked to make this an election issue and let the people of the country give their opinion about this important issue. If all the parties rush thru the amendment the electorate of this country which all the political cry hoarse that voters are very aware in returning the only deserving and popular candidate to the lagislature teach them a lesson in the coming elections by voting against these political parties to convey that indian voters are really aware about the issues of electoral as well as political reforms in this country.

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yet another (w w w ) 8 Follow ers 5 mins ago Gold: 6966 Agree (0) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

From India Telangana: At 66, Mother India gets ready for her 29th baby Congress clear loser, but BJP far from victory, opinion poll says Telangana will be 29th state, Hyderabad to be common capital for 10 years

That is why we need a REFERENDUM system. Public will get more power through such a system. Political parties can't unite against popular public demand/interest given such a system, because any party breaking the herd will win the next elections.

vaidya kesavaiyer (tirupathi) 10 Follow ers 6 mins ago Gold: 10.3K Agree (0) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

Sonia meets PM as UPA inches closer to final decision on Telangana more Across Tim es of India Telangana: At 66, Mother India gets ready for her 29th baby

They have proved unity in diversity and disseminate to the common that the latter is to vote them to loot and observe mutely their fleecing once elected?

Ghanshyam Raj () 13 Follow ers 6 mins ago Gold: 7680 Agree (0) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

Congress clear loser, but BJP far from victory, opinion poll says Telangana will be 29th state, Hyderabad to be common capital for 10 years She used me, I am feeling cheated, JNU attacker wrote in a four-page note more

very nice ..good night

vaidya kesavaiyer (India) 10 Follow ers 7 mins ago Gold: 10.3K Agree (0) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

How come they all united so irrespective of their different ideologies? So they want to stifle the common but they expect the common to vote them to loot and see it as mute spectators?

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zeyaalam (Varanasi) 206 Follow ers 8 mins ago Platinum : 61.8K

Kunals75
Points: 228

1
Gives the idea as to how political parties do the balancing act for it selves.
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Antonio Barbosa
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Arpit Joshi
Mahendra Gaur (Jaipur) 217 Follow ers 8 mins ago Platinum : 33.2K
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Ashwin Sopori

The amendments are open to challenge before SC and I am sure it will not pass the judicial scrutiny.

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Ashesh Dwivedi
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Anshum an Jha (Ranchi) 1 Follow er 9 mins ago Silver: 1046 Agree (0) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

Know m ore about Tim es Points

at least they are unanimous on something!!!!! guess how they decided it in one voice "desh jaaye bhaad me khud ko safe kar lo"

Dr.sandeep kum ar (patna) 9 mins ago

It reminds me of few things- 1.terrorists n naxalites also dont want to expose their source of income 2.similar change in definition was done for- labh ka pad 3.all parties are basically same. If we read or see their debates we just waste our time. 4.same fate is definite for s.c. directive to remove politician with criminal records.

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Vibhu (Jammu) 11 mins ago Silver: 384 Agree (0) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

This is disappointing, now all political classes have decided to go against RTI which has severely dented the Accountability measures... This is going to be harmful and we are surely going to hear about some more scams in future. !!!

VoxPop (Peaceful World) 68 Follow ers 21 mins ago Gold: 23.2K Agree (0) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

Political parties know when to unite to keep their interests but the voters do not.

Neeraj (South Africa ) 25 mins ago

If Corrupt Congress is been hated today by majority of Indian is only cos of Kejriwal. He is the only single man to open eyes of mango people by exposing all wrong doings and corruption of congress and corrupt people related to it. I always wish Arvind Kejriwal should also be given an opportunity like Modi.

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sum an kar (Kolkata) 27 mins ago Silver: 473 Agree (0) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

"New Moral Science Book to be published" One of the stories used as moral for new age children would be how the Indian political parties, so much different in colours and views, have joined hands to defeat the attempt to decode their state of affairs by the RTI Act (an attack from without by people who do not understand how much privacy is required by them). This is a good lesson for the young ones teaching them how friends should be. N.B All Indian political parties are made of the same core - undemocratic, unprincipled, self righteous and equal earnestness to avoid scrutiny.

Ranjit Pati (bhubanesw ar) 11 Follow ers

11 Follow ers 28 mins ago Gold: 5353 Agree (0) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

MEET THE NEW MAFIAS OF INDIA............

Ram am oorthi (Chennai) 1 Follow er 28 mins ago Silver: 398 Agree (0) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

In the event the political parties are exempted from RTI , it is only fair for the general public to expect that income tax exemptions and doles from government including land, electoral rolls and airtime on public broadcaster at nominal rates on the grounds that they were doing social service are also withdrawn without exception.

Neeraj (South Africa ) 31 mins ago

It will be a big injustice if we do not give an opportunity to Kejriwal since we have seen colors of all political parties.

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Anupam (Bangalore) 1 Follow er 33 mins ago Silver: 2364 Agree (5) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

Wow!! All enemies are together to get themselves covered... Which Party do I support now!!!!!

PaidMedia () 34 mins ago Silver: 465 Agree (1) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

the main motive of all party to loot INDIA !!!!!!! they will loot together and if you raise your voice then you will be crashed by all Traitors . these are the same MORONS who wrote OBAMA on Modi VISA!!!!!!! what else you expect from Modern JAICHANDs!!!!!!

secular radical (Unknow n) 55 Follow ers 35 mins ago Gold: 20.3K Agree (4) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

See, how the political parties irrespective of their different doctrines have together to keep out their 'secrets'. It is a shame! Everybody has their hands fully in the 'honeypot'.

Neeraj (South Africa ) 35 mins ago

Lets keep all political parties not only out of RTI but India.

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nipun jain (rew ari) 39 mins ago Bronze: 169 Agree (2) Disagree (0) Recommend (1) Offensive

This was bound to happen, now it appeared to them that by giving RTI act they have created problems for themselves and slowly they will make it meaningless.

Ranjit Pati (bhubanesw ar) 11 Follow ers 40 mins ago Gold: 5353 Agree (0) Disagree (0)

WE HAVE SENT ALL FOOT PATH DOGS TO PARLIAMENT AND WE WILL HAVE LISTEN TO THEIR BARKING VOICE, NO WAY TO BE OUT OF

HAVE LISTEN TO THEIR BARKING VOICE, NO WAY TO BE OUT OF THIS.....

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Deepak (Bangalore) 63 Follow ers 41 mins ago Platinum : 25.6K Agree (2) Disagree (0) Recommend (0) Offensive

Anybody who thinks different political parties are really different, its now time to change their opinion forever!. Simply put, not a single political party or a politician supported CIC's views but all blatantly violated its order says all about political parties about their unity in diversity!. Even the recent SC's judgement on disqualification of convicted parliamentarians will meet a similar fate very soon if reports are to be believed!. If political parties that represent people don''t have any respect for constitution and constitutional bodies, its a direct invitation to people to treat the constitution like a door mat!. If we the people want to change anything for better then we have to unite and do things like in Egypt, Libya etc. Its either now or never!

Sum it (St Lucia) 42 mins ago

No Information, No Tax !!!! People of India Has to tell this all Parties, it is our money and we want to know where you spend it ???

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