Allegations against the Aam Aadmi Party of not replying to RTI applications
27 Feb, 2014Rakesh Agarwal, secretary of the NGO Nyayabhoomi, has claimed that no replies have been received to the 13 RTI applications filed by him since October 30, 2013 with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) but none of the applications have been acknowledged. He said that his RTI applications pertained to funds received by way of donations and membership, details of expenses, statements of the party's bank accounts, internal elections, candidates selections process and the proof of corruption against politicians against whom allegation were made. Agrawal has alleged that even the appeals filed against two of the RTI applications have remained unanswered.
He criticised the AAP party leaders Prashant Bhushan and Kejriwal for adopting a dual stand of advocating the implementation of RTI act within political parties, but refusing to supply information under the RTI Act. He demanded that the details of every rupee spent on the AAP rallies should be disclosed as AAP was getting donations from public.
The CIC full bench order holding that the political parties are within the ambit of the RTI Act, 2005 has remained unchallenged, but practically no political party seems to be implementing it.