BIHAR RTI ACT UESERS’ SATI SFACTION ATAN ALL.TIME LOW

(i) Since assumption of office by the new Chief Information Commissioner

of State Information Commission on 22.10.2009 in Bihar citizens are facing an all- time low in procurement of their information.

(ii) Instead of providing access to information to citizens in order to promote transparency. Accountability and to fight corruption. Commission is using all Kinds of improper means to deny information to public.

(iii) Citizens already apprehensive in present of commissioner are made to read ‘definition’ of RTI Act during the hearing and then told that information that they seek is not ‘givable’

(iv) Commission is closing pending appeal cases without actually providing information to the public such as when P.I.O untruthfully says he ‘will’ provide information or when appellant is absent.

(v) Overall citizens’ satisfaction with Commission. Which was already low at 31% according to recent survey by public Cause Research Foundation has now plunged further to some where between 0-5% in the last 2 months.

(vi) Although penalty on public information officers (P.I.O) is strictly to be imposed by Commission, they are not imposing any penalty on P. I. Os and requests by citizens to impose penalty are thrown into the dustbin in complete disregard of RTI Act.

(vii) Citizens of Bihar request Government of Bihar to hold an enquiry and social audit, into all such violations against the Act by very people who must protect it, and restore sanctity of Act and sanity into implementation of Act.

(viii) BRIT Manch’s requests to inspect records of the Commission are being met with delays.

(ix) BRTI Manch regrets to say that appointment of Commission seems to have been deliberately done from a section of society who are well- rehearsed, by virtue of their career to keep information from the Public.

parveen Amanullah Convenor,Bihr Right to Information MANCH