New Delhi: The government yesterday defended its decision to amend the RTI Act to keep political parties out of its ambit, saying they would not be able to function if the CIC order was implemented. The step, however, drew criticism from activists, who contended it would result in erosion of transparency and accountability.
Law Minister Kapil Sibal said the government respected the Central Information Commission (CIC), but was concerned by its order. He said that political parties were not companies or trusts, but a “voluntary association of persons”.
The union cabinet on Thursday approved two amendments to the RTI Act, one aiming at keeping political parties out of its ambit and the second stating that the CIC order was not binding on any political party.
Government sources said the change in the RTI Act would be made in the monsoon session starting on August 5.
The issue has been in the news after the CIC, in a June 3 order, said that six national political parties would be brought under the RTI Act as they were public authorities, receiving significant funding from the government.
Sibal said the CIC order “will strike at the root of the political system. People will seek all sorts of details from political parties including their process of consultation and decision-making. Nowhere in the world does this happen”.
“The political parties are unanimous against the CIC order. Parties will not be able to function if this is allowed,” he added.
According to the law minister, two options were available to the government — filing a writ petition in the high court against the CIC order, a time-consuming process; and second, amending the RTI Act, which could be done quickly.
“The hurry is because the CIC order is operational. We want a quick resolution of this issue,” said Sibal.
The law minister gave a long list of points to indicate that political parties “did not function under a veil of secrecy” and were accountable.
“There seems to be an impression that political parties are not accountable. We get elected by the people. We have to reveal whatever donations we receive to the Election Commission. It is not as if donations to parties are unaccounted for,” said Sibal.
Donations of more than Rs20,000 received by political parties have to be declared to the income tax department, the minister pointed out.
“This can also be made public. It is not as if the political parties operate under a veil of secrecy,” he said.
“We give an account of assets and liabilities to the Election Commission and also give an account of our expenses, there is transparency. Political parties are not companies or trusts. It’s a voluntary association of persons.”
IANS
