Who will mind the minders?

If you want my opinion, no one should. But, obviously my opinion does not count for much or else there would not be reviews on the performance of the Central Information Commission and the Right to Information (RTI) Act. This nation has been built on the strong foundations of opaque processes and ad hoc, whimsical decisions, and tied together with plenty of red tape. Who do these RTI activists think they are to try and change the way things have always worked?

While I admit to have prematurely announced the death of babudom, I was happy to find out that the RTI was nowhere as effective as I feared it would be. My fellow babus had devised several effective ways of countering the RTI Act like rejecting applications on false pretexts, proving incomplete or incorrect responses, delaying responses, or in some cases demanding proof of citizenship before an RTI application can be made.

One and a half years after the Act came into effective, several organizations and newspapers have begun reviewing the performance of the RTI to ensure that it is not merely an eyewash. PRIA has done a detailed performance review of the RTI Act and has pointed out several problems like delays in approving the constitutions of the state information commissions, high cost of application process in some states [Himachal Pradesh charges Rs. 10 per page for photocopying, when shops in Mumbai charge twenty times less] and very few penalties being actually imposed for delays in responding to applications for information. They also point out more serious problems like Public Information Officers (PIO) in government agencies threatening applicants to withdraw applications, refusing applications under false pretexts and being absent from their offices.

The Financial Express has pointed to several problems like delays in the appeal process and insufficient number of Information Commissioners with the Central Information Commission. However, the most serious problem being the perception among PIOs that the RTI need not be taken seriously since the CIC is reluctant to impose pentalties on PIOs for not doing their job ["there have been a total of only 27 cases on which penalties have been imposed, out of the thousands that have come to the commission since October 2005"].

Several newspapers have also pointed out the ineffacies of the RTI in various states, while arguing that the RTI be given more teeth. Meanwhile others in the government are looking to see how to quickly extract a few key canines. The government's earlier attempts at curbing the RTI were stymied [they had tried to amend the RTI by making file notings and the UPSC exams exempt from the RTI]. They are now trying to exempt certain organization from the RTI Act. Activists like Anna Hazare has threatened an agitation if the RTI Act is amended.

Meanwhile, netas, babus, builders and industrialists will be spending a lot of sleepless nights in the coming fortnight as activists have launched a large-scale enquiry into the creation of several Special Economic Zones (SEZs). That this will unearth some dirty secrets is definite, what is not known is whether any heads will roll. I will be sure to write about how my dear babu friends can save their necks. You know who I will be rooting for.