Invitation for Sunday, 8th March 2009 at 10.30 a.m. At Parish Hall, St. Joseph High School Grounds,

[Sudhir Badami]

MAHITI  ADHIKAR  MANCH

Along with the under mentioned Co-hosts

(see note below by Sudhir Badami)

Invites you to a Public Meeting

On

“Appeal Pendency Ghatao, RTI Bachao”

Right to Information Act, 2005

On

Sunday, 8th March 2009 at 10.30 a.m.

At

Parish Hall, St. Joseph High School Grounds,

Junction of David Baretto Road & Katrak Road, Wadala (W), Mumbai - 400 031.

 

10.30  to 10.50           Registration

10.50  to 11.00           Welcome & Opening Remarks

11.00  to 11.10           Statistics of Maharashtra - State Information Commission

Guest Speakers

11.10  to 11.50           PROMISED PERSONAL PERFORMANCE REPORT

Mr. Shailesh Gandhi

(Central Information Commissioner, Delhi)

 

  11.50 to 12.05            TOWARDS IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY OF APPEAL DISPOSALS AT THE COMMISSION

Dr. Suresh Joshi

(Chief  State Information Commissioner, Maharashtra)

 

12.05  to 12.45           Question & Answer Session

12.45  to 1.00 p.m.     Summing up & Vote of thanks

Co-hosted by :

·         ACTION FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE & NETWORKING IN INDIA (AGNI)

·         BOMBAY CATHOLIC SABHA

·         BCAS FOUNDATION

·         FORUM OF FREE ENTERPRISE

·         GEN. A.K. VAIDYA NAGAR RAHIVASHI SANGH

·         H/WEST WARD CITIZENS' TRUST

·         M.R. PAI FOUNDATION

·         NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR PEOPLES MOVEMENT

·         PUBLIC CONCERN FOR GOVERNANCE TRUST (PCGT)

·         TARUN MITRA MANDAL - MAHADHIKAR

 

C/o A-31, Royal Industrial Estate, M.M.G.S. Marg, Wadala, Mumbai - 400 031. Tel. : 2414 9329

E-mail : mahitiadh...@gmail.com

Friends,

Taking inspiration from Anna Hazare, Aruna Roy and many others, Shailesh plunged himself into making knowledge of Right To Information Act available to common man. He not only used the Act himself successfully but incessantly went about speaking on the subject anywhere anyone wanted him to come and educate. He also took initiative to organise RTI Camp at the Government Law College Churchgate, Mumbai. Many supported him in his initiatives. He is also an active member of National Campaign for People's Right To Information. All this led to his being appointed as a Central Information Commissioner in Delhi in September 2008. This appointment goes through rigorous selection process and final approval granted by the PM, Leader of the Opposition and Chief Central Information Commissioner. The position has a status of Supreme Court Judge. Normally, retired bureaucrats have been assigned these positions. Perhaps that is the reason why so many appeals are pending to be disposed off and in most cases, the Public Information Officer (PIO) gets away lightly.

To ensure that the Act remains relevant, it is necessary to see to it that there are no pendencies and that all possible punishment must be meted out for not providing information in time. Once the bureaucrat/PIO realises that any delay on his part is not going to be taken kindly, he begins to respect the Act. There are plenty of information that the Government can put on their website suo mottu but do not do so. With mounting pendencies, the Act is in danger of becoming irrelevant.

Shailesh, on being appointed as a Central Information Commissioner, stated that his focus shall be to clear cases quickly and ensure least pendencies with him. It is little more than five months since he went to Delhi. As promised, he is going to give his report and how he has managed himself in the new role.

Having known him to be righteous and just, he has been particular about the orders he has to deliver on the appeals referred to him. He has applied his skills as an erstwhile entrepreneur, zeal of an activist and passion to uphold law and provide justice. In the process he has attained enviable productivity in the disposal of appeals.

Dr Joshi is the Chief Sate Information Commissioner of Maharashtra. He will place before us the efforts the State Commission is making to improve the disposal rates of appeals, which have been so far totally inadequate to the growing number of pendencies.

Presence in large numbers would convey that this issue of pendency is a serious one and citizens are interested in steps taken by the Government to ensure there are no pendencies. It is equally important that non-activists also throng the hall at the public meeting.

If you are an NGO, please organise and come in numbers and if you are an individual, spread this information among your friends and urge them to attend. Also, you do not miss it either.

Let us all remember that we are Citizens first - "Jaan hai to Jehan hai"... let us keep every instrument that safeguards our freedom well oiled and in working condition. RTI Act is one of the most potent intrument.

Looking forward to a full house with your presence,

--
Regards

Sudhir Badami

+91 98216 85072
Email ID: bad...@vsnl.com, bad...@iitbombay.org, sudhir...@gmail.com

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