Right to Information (RTI) activists in Pune have decided to work in tandem with the state information commissioner (SIC), Pune, Vijay Kuvalekar, to conduct a special ‘Section 4 audit’ in various government departments.
This was a decided at a meeting between Kuvalekar and the activists here on Tuesday. The newly-formed Maharashtra Right to Information Council had organised the meeting for a dialogue between the various SICs and RTI activists across the state. The first of such meetings was held in Mumbai in June.
Bhaskar Prabhu, Vijay Kumbhar, Major General (retd) SCN Jatar and other activists attended the meeting.
Compliance with Section 4 of the Right To Information Act, 2005, by various government authorities was discussed at the meeting. Activists pointed out the lax compliance by a majority of government offices due to ignorance and lack of initiative.
Kuvalekar said in his rulings he had asked for compliance with Section 4 as it amounts to denial of information in the long run. He added that proper implementation of section 4 reduces the number of appeals drastically.
The meeting also discussed problems facing both the SIC and the activists in the implementation of the Act.
