It is in the public interest that political parties are brought within the ambit of the Right to Information Act. If ‘public service' is political parties' raison d'être, the public which is served by them has every right to know the facts about the parties’ functioning, funding and the ‘donations' made to their coffers.
Expectedly, most political parties, with some notable exceptions, are unanimous in their opposition to the Central Information Commission's order putting them under the purview of the RTI Act.
If complied with, the CIC order will create a climate of openness and help fight money and muscle power, nepotism, favouritism — especially in the selection of candidates — and a host of infirmities associated with party politics. The order now tests the commitment of political parties to openness. Since it will serve the cause of transparency and accountability in public life, the aam aadmi urges the political parties to comply with it for the sake of probity in public life and governance.