Reforms: Nitish counters PM on RTI Act Says it improves policy making and must be allowed to evolve Calls for enhancing scope of the Act to cover corporates, PPPs

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Nitish counters PM on RTI Act Says it improves policy making and must be allowed to evolve Calls for enhancing scope of the Act to cover corporates, PPPs

In my opinion, the law has done well to bring transparency into our deliberative processes. Today we are conscious that our decisions are under public scrutiny. To that extent, the Act has made governments accountable. What's the problem in sharing with the people the process that led to the evolution of a policy? The only thing we need to do about the RTI law is - strengthen it," Nitish told The Tribune on the sidelines of the concluding session of the annual convention of Central Information Commission.

Overall, Nitish made a strong political pitch for the RTI Act at a time when some Central Ministers have been seeking its amendments in the light of recent disclosures in the 2G scam. The Bihar CM dared the Centre and other states when he said, "What is wrong if all political decisions, details of every project and scheme are placed on website?"

Source The Tribune Chandigarh

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Election Commission, one of India’s finest brands

Democratic elections provide the method through which citizens assert their civil and political rights. Founders of modern India adopted universal adult suffrage thus reposing faith in the wisdom of the common Indian to elect his/her representative to the seat of power.

Choice of electoral democracy for India was variously termed at that time as a giant leap forward, a bold enterprise and an unparalleled adventure. The makers of the Constitution had realised quite early that elections provide the starting point of justice and equality. Despite a 16% literacy rate and a caste-based hierarchical social system, the independence came directly to the hands of ordinary people in the form of a vote. Oppressed masses of India had voted in many elections before Switzerland allowed its women and Australia its aboriginals to vote.

A thriving and vibrant electoral democracy has been India’s distinct and durable identity at the global stage, long before it asserted itself as economic, nuclear or IT major. This brand, which was founded by our freedom fighters and makers of the Constitution, has been nurtured by Parliament, Judiciary, Political Parties, Media and above all by the People of India, with some distinct contribution from the Election Commission.

Over the past 61 years, the Election Commission has delivered 15 elections to the Lok Sabha and over 330 elections to State Legislative Assemblies, thus facilitating peaceful, orderly and democratic transfer of power. Elections to the 15th Lok Sabha held in April-May 2009 have been described as the biggest management event in the world. It involved 714 million voters, 8,35,000 polling stations, 1.18 million Electronic Voting Machines and 11 million personnel. India’s electorate is larger than that of any continent and even several continents put together.

The recently concluded elections to five states and union territory, which have been rated as among the finest, involved one fifth of the country’s electorate. The management of elections in India has continually evolved and still does, matching with the colossal proportions and ever increasing complexity of the task.