Some RTI activists misusing Act to further own interests — Assam Speaker

Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary on Wednesday claimed that some Right to Information (RTI) activists were misusing the Act to further their own interests.

He alleged that some activists were taking money from people to file petitions.

“Information commissioners are overburdened with many unnecessary petitions leading to delay in providing information sought, particularly on important matters. The Act is being misused by a section of people to run a business,” Daimary said, while inaugurating the Conference of North East Information Commissioners here.

He called upon the information commissioners to create awareness among the public on the kind of information they can seek and the process of doing so on their own.

“The RTI Act empowers the common people to access information available with public authorities but there are certain sectors that don’t come under the purview of the Act and people should be made aware of that,” he said.

Daimary hoped that obstacles in the proper utilisation of the Act will be discussed in the day-long deliberations during the conference. “If changes are required for the smooth use of the Act, the National Information Commission can be informed and, if required, an amendment can be made by the Parliament,” Daimary added.

He also inaugurated the newly designed website of the Assam Information Commission.

The conference, organised by the Assam Information Commission and National Federation of Information Commissions in India, was attended by information commissioners from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland.

(Guwahati, PTI)