Would the CIC order regarding political parties be implemented?
6 Feb, 2014It has been reported that the Central Information Commission (CIC) has constituted a three-member bench comprising of the chief information commissioner Sushma Singh and two other information commissioners to hear complaints that its order to the six national political parties has not been complied with. No political party has complied with the CIC order so far to proactively disclose information and appoint public information officers / appellate authorities under the RTI Act.
Subhash Agrawal had filed three complaints for non-compliance of the June 3, 2013 CIC order after the political parties failed to appoint public information officers and appellate authorities. The CIC had ruled that the six national political parties, Congress, BJP, BSP, NCP, CPI and CPM, are public authorities under the RTI Act. The TI activists have argued that non-compliance of the CIC order makes a mockery of it and such a situation cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely.