Govt retracts on RTI Act

Introducing changes in the rules under the Right to Information Act, the government has decided not to disclose file notings relating to "identifiable individuals, groups of individuals, organisations, appointments, matters relating to inquiries and departmental proceedings".

The Department of Personnel & Training has been instructed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to incorporate these changes under the said act in consultation with the Ministry of Justice.

After considering various representations made by concerned citizens and taking into account all relevant factors, it has been decided that substantive file notings on plans, schemes, programmes and projects of the government that relate to development and social issues may be disclosed except those protected by the exemption clauses 8(1) (a) to (j) of the act, Prime Minister's Office said in a statement Thursday. 

However, the principal information officer appointed under RTI may withhold the individual identity of the functionary who has made the notings. 

Business Standard had reported on Thursday that the government was under pressure from the bureaucratic lobby to exempt file notings from the purview of the RTI Act.

Although the bureaucracy wanted "blanket exemption", the government agreed to go for partial exemption only. The issue had been discussed in the National Advisory Council meeting last Saturday.