’The Madhya Pradesh State Information Commission on Saturday has started hearing complaints. The very first complaint that was heard by the MP State Information Commission’s Chief Information Commissioner (MPSIC — CIC) KD Khan was of Right To Information (RTI) activist from the State capital Ajay Dubey.
Dubey in his complaint alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh has not appointed Public Information Officer and appeal officer at its State headquarters. As per the Central Information Commission (CIC) verdict in June 2013 political parties are accountable under RTI Act, he added.
He said that as per the CIC order the political parties under RTI Act are accountable to public and not to the CIC.
Dubey later in a statement said, “The MPSIC—CIC instructed me to submit the name and addresses of the office bearers of the BJP and the copy of the CIC order in this regard before March 11.’
Dubey further said that on the next hearing in a rejoinder to the MPSIC — CIC, “I would provide the name and address of the BJP State president and MP Narendra Singh Tomar and organisational general secretary Arvind Menon considering them responsible for not implementing RTI in the organisation.”
He said besides the names and addresses of the BJP leaders I would provide the copy of the full-bench CIC-verdict holding political parties accountable under RTI Act.
He said that neither any court in the country has granted stay over this CIC order and nor does the parliament has stopped it under any law. “I have provided this information to the MPSIC,” he added.
He said the CIC verdict holding political parties accountable under RTI Act would induce much-needed transparency and accountability in present highly polluted political system. Transparency induced by the verdict will tend to impose a check on corruption, scams and scandals presently deep-rooted in our political system, he added.