Complaint against 6 political parties for defying CIC order

The Association for Democratic Reforms has complained against six major political parties for not appointing Public Information Officers.

Six major political parties are yet to appoint Public Information Officers. Failing to do so despite a directive issued six months back has prompted a complaint before the Central Information Commission.

The Association for Democratic Reforms in its complaint has stated that the Indian National Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India-Marxist, Nationalist Congress Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party were in contempt of the order of the CIC. These political parties had six months ago been directed to appoint PIOs by the CIC.

The CIC order was issued in order to bring national parties under the ambit of the Right to Information Act for greater transparency and accountability.

The CIC in its full-bench verdict on June 6 had held that six national political parties -- INC, BJP, CPI, CPM, NCP and BSP were public authorities under the Right to Information Act, 2005.

The commission directed the six political parties to appoint Public Information Officers (PIOs/CPIOs) within six weeks of the order, to respond to existing RTI queries within the next four weeks.

The six parties have not complied with the CIC even after more than six months. Political parties are defying the decision of a statutory authority. The CIC had given its decision of June 3 after several hearings of similar complaints filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms and RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agarwal.