Central govt making attempts to weaken RTI Act: Anjali Bharadwaj

Central govt making attempts to weaken RTI Act: Anjali Bharadwaj - OrissaPOST

The article highlights the critical tension between government efforts to dilute the Right to Information Act and the public’s fundamental need for transparency. Activists argue that weakening institutional safeguards, such as limiting the tenure of Information Commissioners, serves to shield the state from accountability and perpetuate corruption. This erosion of legal frameworks directly undermines the democratic principle that citizens must have the power to question authority and access government data. The discussion specifically examines how opaque funding mechanisms like electoral bonds violate information rights by preventing the disclosure of political donations. Although the Supreme Court recently invalidated the scheme, emphasizing the necessity of revealing donor identities, the underlying issue remains relevant to open data. The struggle to enforce disclosure demonstrates how technical financial instruments can obstruct the flow of public information, keeping critical political funding data hidden from scrutiny. This case is highly relevant to open data because it underscores the legal and political battles required to maintain accessible, uncensored government information. It illustrates that open data is not merely a technical standard but a civic right protected by law. When governments attempt to exempt policies from disclosure or delay releases, they hinder the transparency essential for a functioning democracy. Ensuring open data policies remain robust is therefore vital to preventing corruption and maintaining public trust in institutions.

Source: orissapost.com
Published on 2024-05-07

Caso María Amparo Casar y las veces que AMLO ha puesto en riesgo los datos personales | El Universal »

Open Data

Related news