Tuesday, December 17, 2002
Information Bill okayed
Press Trust of India in New Delhi Published : December 17, 2002
In an attempt to provide transparency in governance, Parliament today approved a historic bill providing citizens statutory right to access official information after government promised in the Rajya Sabha to fine-tune the measure based on experience.
The Freedom of Information Bill, which had earlier been passed by the Lok Sabha, was passed by the Rajya Sabha by a voice vote after negating the amendments moved by Congress member Prithviraj Chavan.
Of the nearly 200 countries in the world, only 20 countries, including India have enacted such a provision and it was felt that the measure was only a step in the direction of providing transparency, openness and accountability in governance, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension Vasundhara Raje said replying to a three-hour long discussion. Allaying fears of members, Raje said the Bill was in no way in conflict with the Official Secrets Act nor for that matter the oath of secrecy taken by the ministers.
“This was the first time such a law has been enacted and there is a need to learn as we go along”, she said. She added that if changes were found necessary, these would be done.
Regarding the need for stringent penalty against officials not providing information, Raje said the conduct rules of civil service are proposed to be amended for penalising erring officials.
On the demand for appeal in courts, she said social activist H D Shourie had gone into this aspect and found that courts were already overburned and this would negate the purpose for which the Bill was being brought. However, in cases where the citizens could not get redressal at the department level, they could always move high courts.
The Bill provided for a two-tier system of appeal, she said. She ruled out private sector being brought into the ambit of the Bill saying the measure was meant for improving the governance.
Though the Bill was originally proposed in 1997, it took several years as it was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs. Subsequently, a group of ministers went into the issue, she said adding several recommendations of the standing committee have been incorporated in the Bill.
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