Hyderabad/Bhubaneswar: A national conference of the State Chief Information Commissioners was held in Hyderabad, bringing together Information Commissioners from across the country to deliberate on issues concerning the effective implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The conference was inaugurated by the Governor of Telangana, Shiv Pratap Shukla. The Central Information Commissioner presided over the conference. Manoj Parida, State Chief Information Commissioner, represented Odisha.
The participants discussed various best practices being followed by different State Information Commissions to reduce the pendency of cases and ensure speedy disposal of appeals and complaints. There was also considerable focus on preventing the misuse of the RTI Act by vested interests while simultaneously encouraging and facilitating its use by ordinary citizens.
The Chief Information Commissioner of Maharashtra briefed the participants on amendments made by the State Government to its RTI Rules, under which an RTI application is restricted to one subject and a maximum of 150 words.
Manoj Parida, State Chief Information Commissioner of Odisha, explained how the pendency of cases in Odisha has been reduced through the adoption of summary trials and by avoiding unnecessary adjournments.
The Central Information Commissioners urged State Governments to ensure greater suo motu disclosure of information on the official websites of various departments, thereby reducing the need for citizens to file RTI applications. They also requested State Governments to provide adequate staff and other necessary resources to State Information Commissions.
The impact of the new Personal Data Protection legislation on the RTI Act was analysed in detail. The participants also emphasised the need for regular training of officials at the grassroots level who are responsible for dealing with RTI matters.
The conference provided an important platform for sharing experiences and best practices among State Information Commissions and for strengthening the effective and citizen-friendly implementation of the RTI Act across the country.
