Petition challenges right to seek information from court

[karira]

Petition challenges right to seek information from court


Chandigarh, October 5 The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notices to Union Law Ministry on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the powers of various Information Commissioners in seeking information (under RTI Act) from High Courts and the Supreme Court. Filed by an advocate, the PIL has challenged the powers of even the Chief Information Commissioners at state and central level, as such power interferes with the independence of the Judiciary, which is part of the basic structure of the Indian Constituion.

The petitioner argued that no such power can be conferred on information commissioners under the RTI Act, without bringing an amendment to the Constitution of India.

He also challenged the criteria and procedure used in appointing information commissioners at the state and central level by relying on a judgment of Constitution Bench in N Sampath Kumar’s case (1987), wherein it was held that no appointment to the post of chairman and administrative member of the Central Administrative Tribunal can be made by the central or state governments alone, as those members have to decide cases filed by employees against the government.

The petitioner further argued that the SC had given two options to the Union Government, viz. (i) Consult the Chief Justice of India (CJI) before making such appointments or constitute a committee headed by the CJI or some other Judge for recommending the names. The central or state governments therefore cannot make appointments to the post of Information Commissioners without consultation in this manner, argued the advocate.

He also argued the fact that since no specific qualifications have been prescribed for appointment to these posts, arbitrary powers conferred on the governments to make such appointments lowers the constitutional status of Judges of the High Courts, including Chief Justices of the High Courts and Supreme Courts Judges, argued the advocate.

He called for a procedure that was somewhat comparable to that of the appointment of High Court and Supreme Court Judges.


Petition challenges right to seek information from court

[ksg123]

Sir,
The day RTI Act came into effectin 2005/ in April 2006, I tried to test the waters.
I've sought info from DDA of which none satisfactory reply was given that too exceeding the time limitation. The issue was pertaining an encroachment on approved layout plan designated as parking space arround my area of living. The fortunate part was before any reply was to be given to me evation was very obvious. What the DDA did was change my address from No. 1 to no. 4. The department was caught off guard upon my visit to the particular dept. by showing them the photocopy of what I have submitted. Anyway, I ended making the first appeal and then forwarded after the limitation to CIC. The order can be read if interested. The dept. was penalized Rs. 50,000 for both the queries made to their section.

In the mean time learning the process made another application to DDA now, with specific querries rangeing from Damage section of the estate court officer to Land management area which gave me the exact info of where the file of the encroacher was that had been kept in safe custody for the benefit of the encroacher for 25 years by greasing the department and making a fool of all the authorities. I would say the LG's listening post was also helpull in expediting the process by the estate court officer to make a decision to evict the encroacher. I would like to add I made sure I phoned each and every department that was involved constantly to make sure the process & my inquery is alive and progressive. It took good nine months of pursuing the issue, eventually the large metal shed did got demolished last 18th Sept. 2007.

Now the next task is to make sure the area that got domolished remain or develop as a parking space which is very much needed in our area. The area was in Jhandewalan Extension behind the metro station.

Had the RTI not come into effect. I don't think I could have done anything., because the encroacher greese the palm of any one who came to inspect the encroachment. and had tried his might & money power during the process of my trying to have the encroacher evicted according to the court officer of DDA.

As a lesson to our citizen do not lost heart "lage raho Muna Bhai" ask your self which side of the law are you with, if your answer is on the right side of the law nothing should deter anyone to fight it. Wrong negative suggestion or advice by your love ones will never get you any where. I feel it is an insult to our being as humans to succumb to fear when you are in the right side of the law. The fear would be to the person who is on the wrong side of the law.

In closing the topic I urge each and evry citizen of this country to say I had enough and I shall overcome to fight the evils of society. Maybe the dream each and every one of us have of India will be attain.

K.S.Gahunia

[ksg123]

Sir,
The day RTI Act came into effectin 2005/ in April 2006, I tried to test the waters.
I've sought info from DDA of which none satisfactory reply was given that too exceeding the time limitation. The issue was pertaining an encroachment on approved layout plan designated as parking space arround my area of living. The fortunate part was before any reply was to be given to me evation was very obvious. What the DDA did was change my address from No. 1 to no. 4. The department was caught off guard upon my visit to the particular dept. by showing them the photocopy of what I have submitted. Anyway, I ended making the first appeal and then forwarded after the limitation to CIC. The order can be read if interested. The dept. was penalized Rs. 50,000 for both the queries made to their section.

In the mean time learning the process made another application to DDA now, with specific querries rangeing from Damage section of the estate court officer to Land management area which gave me the exact info of where the file of the encroacher was that had been kept in safe custody for the benefit of the encroacher for 25 years by greasing the department and making a fool of all the authorities. I would say the LG's listening post was also helpull in expediting the process by the estate court officer to make a decision to evict the encroacher. I would like to add I made sure I phoned each and every department that was involved constantly to make sure the process & my inquery is alive and progressive. It took good nine months of pursuing the issue, eventually the large metal shed did got demolished last 18th Sept. 2007.

Now the next task is to make sure the area that got domolished remain or develop as a parking space which is very much needed in our area. The area was in Jhandewalan Extension behind the metro station.

Had the RTI not come into effect. I don't think I could have done anything., because the encroacher greese the palm of any one who came to inspect the encroachment. and had tried his might & money power during the process of my trying to have the encroacher evicted according to the court officer of DDA.

As a lesson to our citizen do not lost heart "lage raho Muna Bhai" ask your self which side of the law are you with, if your answer is on the right side of the law nothing should deter anyone to fight it. Wrong negative suggestion or advice by your love ones will never get you any where. I feel it is an insult to our being as humans to succumb to fear when you are in the right side of the law. The fear would be to the person who is on the wrong side of the law.

In closing the topic I urge each and evry citizen of this country to say I had enough and I shall overcome to fight the evils of society. Maybe the dream each and every one of us have of India will be attain.

K.S.Gahunia