Cabinet may lift sword hanging over RTI act

The sword of Damocles hanging over the Right To Information Act may end on Thursday with the Union Cabinet likely to consider a proposal on Thursday to revoke the 2006 Cabinet decision to dilute the transparency law.

The sword of Damocles hanging over the Right To Information Act may end on Thursday with the Union Cabinet likely to consider a proposal on Thursday to revoke the 2006 Cabinet decision to dilute the transparency law.

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The Cabinet has decided to amend the Act to exempt filing notings except relating to development and social issues and prevent providing information about public examination and evaluation of an individual for appointment in the government.

The amendments were never introduced in the Parliament because of strong opposition by the RTI activists and Sonia Gandhi headed National Advisory Council on the ground that it will kill the transparency law enacted by UPA 1.

Another bid of the government to dilute the law in 2010 by defining frivolous and vexatious RTI applications was defeated following NAC's strong objection.

But, the RTI activists including NAC member Aruna Roy believed that the government was hell-bent on diluting the law because of pressure from bureaucrats and the political class.

To end all such speculation, the government would be seeking Cabinet's approval to revoke its earlier decision.

"The RTI Act will remain in its original and current form," an official said.