Article: Role of Civil Society in evolution of RTI Act 2005 -The Major Milestones!

[Dr. Pathak]

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[Ravi Maheshwari]

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It would certainly make change to some extent, but I do not think it would make change to a large extent because of lack of participation of adequate number of people when compared to population. First of all, we have to have a mechanism to make people aware of what is going on and what is likely to go on. We do not have a mechanism to reach each and every corner of small towns, forget about villages. Still we see reports of starvation; it is obvious that the technology and infrastructural facilities may not have reached. Unless, we become literate and get equipped with foolproof mechanism to make people aware, it is very difficult to expect that public consultation on draft bills would make much change. In the recent days, we have seen that benefit goes to those states/areas, whose leaders have stronghold in the corridors of the power. In the same manner, the people of literate state/area would definitely be interested and worried to see that some benefit reaches them; and in this run, they will vigorously participate in the formulation of draft bills; and on the contrary, the people of illiterate state/area, having been unaware of what is going on, may not be in a position to participate in the process of drafting bills. There is likelihood of unequal treatment. The priority, therefore, should be to educate people and to get them equipped with the technology.

Other milestones in the evolution of RTI : We have seen few Ministers stepping down due to exposures of few scams, such as Adarsh, 2G. In the past, there may be cases where the Ministers might have been charged under criminal laws, but I do not think any of those had stepped down before final outcome of the case, whereas, after enactment of RTI, we have seen Ministers stepping down.