Bringing political parties under the ambit of the RTI would hamper their internal working
3 Aug, 2014In a written reply, the Minister of State for Personnel and Training Jitendra Singh informed the Rajya Sabha that bringing the political parties under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 would hamper their internal working, which was not the objective of the RTI Act. He informed that the political rivals may misuse the law thus adversely affecting functioning of the political parties. He added that no representation has been received from the political parties opposing the Central Information Commission order to bring the six national parties under RTI has been received in the department.
In its decision dated June 3, 2013, the Central Information Commission (CIC) had held that the six national political parties (AICC/INC, BJP, CPI(M), CPI, NCP and BSP) are public authorities under the RTI Act, 2005. The order was opposed by almost all major political parties and a bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 12, 2013 to exclude Political Parties from definition of ‘Public Authority’ under the RTI Act, 2005. The Bill was referred to Parliamentary Standing Committee on September 12, 2013. The Standing Committee in its report recommended passing of bill by the Lok Sabha but with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha, it lapsed as it could not be taken up for consideration by the Parliament.