It’s unlikely that former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf will be hanged. But the significance of a civilian institution like the judiciary standing up to the all-pervasive army in Pakistan cannot be understated. Especially after the court tried to stall Gen. Bajwa’s extension recently. This institutional assertion should encourage judges everywhere.
CJI Bobde’s comment on RTI sends an alarming signal on transparency
CJI Bobde voicing the need to filter RTI requests is the latest blow to the law, and a surprising one as the Supreme Court has to uphold people’s right to know. The court has been exhibiting antagonism towards transparency. By expanding this to RTI, it has sent an alarming signal.
A very heartening piece of good news coming out of Pakistan. Ceasing a dialogue altogether serves no useful purpose. In a very small way, India can be a good influence over the evolution of democracy in Pakistan.
The RTI Act was one of UPA’s / NAC’s signature achievements. It reverses the power gradient between citizen and state. Imagine the government opening up its files, including the Notings portion, to members of the public. That includes Cabinet notes, once the decision is taken. Only an administration with a clear conscience would do something like that. Why someone wants a particular piece of information is irrelevant, although it is probably true that some persons have used such information for purposes of blackmail. An applicant should not be required to prove locus before accessing information. These observations are thus reversing the broad thrust of the legislation over the past decade. Posts are being kept vacant. If one were to identify the converse of the spirit of the RTI Act, it would have to be Electoral Bonds.
I always felt RTI is too good a thing in India to be true.