Shillong, Oct 02: The Indigenous Biodiversity & Social Welfare Organisation (IBSWO), today sent their representation to Shantaram Naik, M.P.,Chairman,Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, New Delhi. Requesting that in the proposed amendment to the Right to Information Act that political parties should be be included in the act.
That Registered (both recognised and un-recognised) Political Parties – National, Regional and State – be within the purview of Section 2 (h) of the existing Right To Information Act.
On the following parameters Organisational, i.e. with reference to its Origin, Constitution, Composition, Strength of membership. Financial, i.e. to include assets both moveable and immoveable, bank account; Income and sources of income, i.e. subscription from enrolment and members, donations and donors, collections, business/enterprise; Expenditure details for running of office, elections, travel including P.O.L.
As political parties are important pillars for the practice of representative democracy, they need be under the public domain and open to one and all for being informed on organisational set up and financial holdings, transactions and assets and liabilities.
They must be transparent and accountable to the people as they seek to serve the people. Even though they may not be funded from Government sources but their fund position is dependent on the people’s contribution or from donation from well wishers and/ business investment and the general public have every right to know the various sources responsible for their upkeep and activities. Only then can we expect that there will be clean politics and transparency in governance.
Therefore, it is proposed that Section 2 of the Right To Information Act, 2005, clause (h), Explanation, maybe amended as follows:
Explanation – The expression “authority or body or institution of self government established or constituted” by any law made by Parliament shall include any association or body or individuals registered or recognised as political party under the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951, only on matters of organisation (origin, development, aims and objectives, composition) and finance (assets, moveable and immoveable, income and sources of income, details of expenditure).’
For the interest of the people, it is hoped and prayed that Parliament will unanimously agree, implying that political parties will agree to submit themselves for sharing RTI Act. (SP News)
