RTI in a dwindling state in Bihar....

The much hailed RTI Act passed to fight corruption and transparency in the administration has completed four years. In January 2007, Bihar’s CM Nitish Kumar declared Bihar a ‘model state’ not only for India but the whole world, when a call centre ‘Jankari’, literally meaning information, was inaugurated. Thus information from any department was just a call away or that’s how it was supposed to be.

The project was applauded by many civil rights activists and statesmen, including Sonia Gandhi and a reputed consultancy agency Price-Water Housekooper. Department of personnel and training is in fact planning to expand it to entire country. However, on ground the situation is quite different.
Earlier one would often hear “the number is not in use” or “kindly check the number” in Hindi. Even now, frequently the phone is either not received or is disconnected.

Ten rupees, as application fees are charged on the telephone bill. Still many times the information officer actually ask for the application fees. Further, don’t be surprised if it takes months, or sometimes a year, for the information to reach you. Even the information provided is often incomplete. Many citizens have actually been put in jail for the crime of soliciting information under the Act.

In fact, Jankari itself appeared reluctant in providing any information. After several applications and appeals, the call centre finally provided some information relating to its ‘publicity’. But that took them more than a year.
According to information received under RTI Act-2005, on November 18, 2008 approximately Rs. 25 lakh have been spent in organizing seminars, distributing pamphlets, putting posters and hoardings and issuing post-cards. The Central government, in comparison, had spent only Rs 2 lakh till 2008.

Information provided under another application also reveals that the six-seater Jankari call centre being run by the State Electronic Development Corporation Ltd. received Rs 33,26,000 from the government while it spend Rs.34,40,586.
Besides, the State information commission has spent more than 2 crore 75 lakh rupees till 2008-2009. Still there are only two information commissioners for the entire state, while there is provision for ten commissioners, besides one Chief Information Commissioner (CIC). Interestingly, the post of CIC is vacant since October, 2008. After Justice Shashank kumar’s term ended last year, Patna High Court’s retired Chief Justice J.N.Bhatt was appointed the CIC. He had however, not yet taken charge. According to latest report, he has now refused to join. As a result more than nine thousand appeals/complains are pending.

Nitish kumar had come to power with the promise of good governance. Although he generously allotted money to the commission, it has become like any other department in the state. Unless, Information Commission and its call centre is overhauled and made more transparent and accountable, there is very little hope of any significant improvement in the system.

Afroz Alam ‘Sahil’

बिहार में सूचनाधिकार: अभी दिल्ली दूर है....

बिहार के सुशासन बाबू नीतीश कुमार ने 29 जनवरी 2007 को बिहार में सूचना अधिकार के नाम पर एक क्रांति का सूत्रपात किया था. सुशासन बाबू ने फोन के जरिए सूचना देने का क्रांतिकारी प्रयोग किया था. इस लिहाज से प्राइसवाटर हाउस कूपर्स से लेकर सोनिया गांधी तक सभी ने सुशासन बाबू की इस पहल की जमकर तारीफ की थी और भ्रष्टाचार में आकंठ डूबे बिहार को सूचना अधिकार का रोल मॉडल घोषित कर दिया था. लेकिन क्या सूचना अधिकार का यह रोल मॉडल काम कर रहा है?

देश में बढ़ते भ्रष्टाचार व अपारदर्शिता से निपटने हेतु लागू किए गए ‘सूचना के अधिकार’ को नाफिज़ हुए चार वर्ष मुकम्मल हो चुके हैं। और ये सच है कि जब भी ‘सूचना के अधिकार' का ज़िक्र होगा तो बिहार राज्य का नाम ज़रुर आएगा, क्योंकि बिहार इस मामले में सिर्फ भारत ही नहीं बल्कि नीतिश जी के लफ़्ज़ों में पूरे विश्व का ‘मॉडल स्टेट' है। हमारे देश में बिहार ही एक ऐसा राज्य जहां फोन के माध्यम से ‘सूचना के अधिकार' का आवेदन किसी भी विभाग में डाल सकते हैं। इसके लिए यहां 29 जनवरी 2007 से ‘जानकारी' नामक एक कॉल सेंटर स्थापित है। इस कॉल सेंटर की मीडिया व सिविल सोसाईटी की जानिब से खूब प्रशंसा की गई। यहां तक कि इसके लिए बिहार सरकार को कई पुरस्कारों से भी नवाज़ा गया। यही नहीं, मशहूर कंसल्टेंसी एजेंसी प्राइसवाटर हाउसकूपर्स के साथ-साथ सोनिया गांधी भी इसकी मुरीद हैं। कार्मिक मंत्रालय तो इससे इतना प्रभावित है कि इस तरह का कॉल सेंटर पूरे देश भर में शुरु करने का मन बना रही है। पर अफसोस पर्दे के पीछे की कहानी कुछ और ही है।

इस ‘मॉडल स्टेट' में इस अधिकार की जो दयनीय हालत है, शायद उसे लफ़्ज़ों में बयान नहीं किया जा सकता। बिहार के दूसरे विभागों से सूचना दिलवाने वाली ये ‘कॉल सेंटर' खुद बीमार है। शुरु के एक-डेढ़ साल तो हमें ‘ये नंबर सेवा में नहीं है' या फिर ‘डायल किया गया कृपया जांच लें' की सदा सुनाई देती रही और अब रिंग होता रहे और कोई फोन रिसीव न करे या फिर फोन उठाकर आपका फोन काट दे तो इसमें ज़्यादा हैरान होने की ज़रुरत नहीं है, और अगर आपका आवेदन दर्ज कर लिया जाए तो इस स्थिती में आप सूचना मिलने की ज़्यादा उम्मीद मत रखिएगा। हो सकता है कि फोन से दस रुपये बतौर फीस कटने के बाद भी कुछ विभाग आपसे फीस की मांग करें, या सूचना पूछने के जुर्म में जेल की हवा खानी पड़े, या फिर हो सकता है कि एक साल के बाद आपको सूचना मिले वो भी आधी।अधूरी। और अगर आपने भ्रष्टाचार के खिलाफ लड़ाई लड़ने की ठान ली है तो फिर आप लोगों के लिए स्वयं एक हास्यापद सूचना हैं।

हालत तो यह है कि सूचना उपलब्ध करवाने वाला ‘कॉल सेंटर' और ‘राज्य सूचना आयोग' खुद अपनी सूचना देना मुनासिब नहीं समझते। ऐसे में बाकी विभागों का क्या रवैया होगाए इसका अंदाज़ा आप खुद लगा सकते हैं। हालांकि नीतिश सरकार ने इस अधिकार के प्रचार व प्रसार में काफी पैसे बहाये हैं। सूचना के अधिकार के तहत काफी मेहनत व मुशक्कत के बाद 18 नवंबर 2008 को मिली सूचना के अनुसार इस अधिकार के व्यापक प्रचार।प्रसार हेतु सूचना एवं जन सम्पर्क विभागए बिहार द्वारा मेघदूत पोस्टकार्ड योजना के माध्यम से जन-जन तक पहुंचाने के लिए 1।25 लाख पोस्टकार्ड का मुद्रण किया गयाए जिस पर कुल लागत 2.50 लाख रुपये है। पोस्टर मुद्रण पर 22,500. (बाइस हज़ार पांच सौ) रुपये तथा फ्लैक्स संस्थापन के कार्य पर 52,763 (बावन हज़ार सात सौ तिरसठ) रुपये खर्च किया गया। इसके अतिरिक्त प्रखंडों के आधार पर इसके प्रचारार्थ होर्डिंगए फ्लैक्स एंव पम्पलेट निर्माण हेतु कुल 21,48,000(इक्कीस लाख अड़तालीस हज़ार) रुपये खर्च किया गया है। केन्द्रीय प्रायोजित योजना के तहत भी राज्य को कार्यशाला एंव सेमिनार के माध्यम से प्रचार.प्रसार हेतु 50,000 (पचास हज़ार) रुपये ज़िलाधिकारी पटना को मिला.

सूचना के अधिकार के तहत मिली एक अन्य सूचना के अनुसार बिहार स्टेट इलेक्ट्रॉनिक डेवलपमेंट कारपोरेशन लिमिटेड के ज़रिए आउटसोर्सिंग व्यवस्था से चलने वाली छह सीटर कॉल सेंटर को कार्मिक व प्रशासनिक सुधार विभाग, बिहार से दिनांक 25 सितम्बर 2007 को 33,26,000/- (तैतीस लाख छब्बीस हज़ार) रुपये प्राप्त हुए जबकि इसने खर्च किया 34,40,586/- (चौतीस लाख चालीस हज़ार पांच सौ छियासी) रुपये।

वहीं बिहार राज्य सूचना आयोग में वर्ष 2008-09 तक 2,75,43,072/- (दो करोड़ पचहत्तर लाख तिरालीस हज़ार बहत्तर) रुपये की राशि खर्च की गई। पर अफसोस! इतने खर्च के बावजूद ये राज्य सूचना आयोग दो ही आयुक्तों के सहारे चल रहा है, जबकि एक मुख्य सूचना आयुक्त सहित 10 आयुक्त यहां होने चाहिए। दिलचस्प बात तो यह है कि यहां मुख्य सूचना आयुक्त का पद ही खाली है, क्योंकि अक्टूबर 2008 में मुख्य सूचना आयुक्त न्यायमूर्ति शशांक कुमार सिंह सेवानिवृत हो गए और राज्य सरकार ने पटना हाईकोर्ट के सेवानिवृत मुख्य न्यायधीश जे।एन.भट्ट को मुख्य सूचना आयुक्त बनाया गया लेकिन श्री भट्ट ने आज तक मुख्य सूचना आयुक्त का पदभार ग्रहण नहीं किया। यही कारण है कि जून 2009 तक के रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक 9106 वादों की सुनवाई आयोग के समक्ष प्रक्रियाधीन है, क्योंकि सूचना के अधिकार के तहत मिली जानकारी के अनुसार अक्टूबर 2006 से जून 2009 तक आयोग में कुल 20572 वाद दर्ज गए, जिनमें से 11466 वादों का निष्पादन कर दिया गया है। सबसे दिलचस्प बात तो यह है कि हर आवेदक के द्वितीय अपील के बाद जुर्माना लगाने की बात करने वाली ये आयोग अब तक 23 जन सूचना अधिकारियों पर ही जुर्माना लगा सकी है, जिससे आयोग को मात्र 3,16,750/- (तीन लाख सोलह हज़ार सात सौ पचास) रुपये की आमदनी हुई है। अब आप स्वयं सोचिए कि ऐसे में कोई सूचना अधिकारी किसी को सूचना क्यों दे…? और जब मॉडल स्टेट की हालत ये है तो बाकी राज्यों में इस अधिकार के हश्र का अंदाज़ा आप खुद लगा सकते हैं।

लालू के लालटेन युग के बाद बिहार की जनता में यह उम्मीद जगी थी कि शायद अब भ्रष्टाचार पर लगाम लग जाएगी, लेकिन सुशासन के दौर में भी भ्रष्टाचार बेलगाम बढ़ता ही जा रहा है। खैर, बिहार सुधर सकता है, गरीबी का पहाड़ समतल हो सकता है, पर शर्त है कि पुराना ढब बदला जाए, पर यहां के सरकारी अधिकारी ऐसा हरगिज़ नहीं होने देंगे।

अफ़रोज़ आलम साहिल

Batla House encounter: Doubts refuse to die ...

People still feel an independent judicial enquiry into the "encounter" is necessary to clear all doubtsMohammad Reyaz Delhi.

The bad memories of the infamous Batla House encounter in Jamia Nagar, conducted after serial blasts in the capital on September 19 last year, refuse to fade away with time. The locals, politicians and academicians of university nearby Jamia Nagar still feel that the justice has not been done.
Teachers, students and civil right activists participated in the mashaal march (torchlight rally) on the eve of the encounter anniversary conducted by Jamia Teachers' Solidarity Group, an association of teachers of Jamia Millia Islamia formed after the encounter last year. They demanded independent judicial enquiry. Many compared it to the Ishrat Jahan's case in Gujarat, where judicial probe questioned the role of the police involved in the 2004 encounter.
Newly-elected MLA of the Okhla assembly, Asif Mohammad Khan, was also present on the occasion. He said that he has been raising the issue of independent enquiry and will continue to do so at all platforms.
There is no real progress in the encounter case yet. Those who have been arrested in this connection are still languishing in jail. A report by the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) has already given a clean chit to the operation and remarked that "there is no need for further enquiry". Accordingly, the Delhi High Court denied any further enquiry into the matter.
But the controversy refuses to die down. Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD), an NGO led by Shabnam Hashmi, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the HC order requesting for judicial enquiry. "People raise questions because they have doubts. If the government and the police have nothing to hide, why are they shying away from an enquiry?" questioned Afroz Alam Sahil. He had sought information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act from several bodies including the Delhi Police, the NHRC and the hospital where the post-mortem of the deceased were conducted. He has been "denied" information in a "clear mockery of the RTI," he said.
A protest march, led by Magsaysay award winner, Sandeep Pandey, and activists of Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and Sanjarpur Sangharsh Seva Samiti, was organised in Azamgarh. Atif Amin and Mohd Sajid, killed in the Batla House encounter, were Azamgarh. The participants in the march reiterated their demand for an independent judicial enquiry.

http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2009/09/3244

The Batla House Encounter: Unanswered Questions.

Joydeep Hazarika

The 19th of September this year was special for the people of the Batla House area and the university of Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. It was the first anniversary of the infamous Batla House encounter which took place a year ago in the L-18 building of the area. Delhi Police, in the encounter, shot down two Jamia students, Atif and Sajid in cold blood, claiming they were terrorists. Superintendent of Police (SP) Mr. Mohan Chand Sharma lost his life in the encounter. But this encounter left many unanswered questions which left a deep suspicion in the minds of many people.
As one year has passed by, we got to see that people gave mixed reactions to this incident. In Batla House, people were angry and cried foul over the actions of the police and the government. While many others mourned the day for the martyrdom of Mr. Mohan Chand Sharma. Posters praising the bravery of the late SP and the importance of the encounter could be seen in many areas of the city. The Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association and the All India Students Association (AISA) came out with a torchlight rally in Batla House on 18th September to mark the eve of the encounter.
The most noticeable thing about the encounter was the trail of unanswered questions it has left behind. The clean chit given to the Delhi Police by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has further left people fuming. And even the court has not given any definitive judgement to the case. In this scenario, are worth to be noted two RTIs (Right to Information) appeals which were filed last month. Afroz Alam Sahil, an RTI activist, filed two RTIs on the 12th of August seeking information from the NHRC and the authority of Jamia. But the replies to these two RTIs have not been given till date. And it is to be noted here that it is mandatory to give a reply to an RTI in a period of one month even if the reply is no.
One RTI had been directed to the Jamia authority about their stand on the matter of the students who had been arrested in this case. Last year, the ex-Vice-Chancellor of Jamia, Prof. Mushirul Hassan had talked of giving legal aid to the ones who had been arrested in this case. For this purpose a sum of money was collected by the students. But till date there has been no report of any legal aid given by the university. The RTI had questions relating to the number of students arrested in connection to this case and also if Jamia had taken any action against them. It also asked questions relating to the current status of the legal aid that Prof. Hassan had talked of giving. It asked questions like how much money had been spent on it and if not, then what was delaying it?
The second RTI was directed towards the NHRC. Ever since the NHRC had given the clean chit to Delhi Police in the case, its style and methods of workings have been questioned by people. This RTI asked questions which ranged from the Commission’s working patterns in investigating this case to the loopholes that had crept out in the results of their investigations. It had questions as whether the NHRC met witnesses and families of the victims and also whether they examine they examined the place of encounter. It seeked names of the witnesses that were talked to and also the names and designations of those who were members of the team investigating the case. Here again, two very important questions were raised. Firstly, there was no magistrate enquiry in the Batla House Encounter case even though this is mentioned in the NHRC guidelines. Secondly, Mr. Mohan Chand Sharma had reportedly got medical aid in five minutes after he was shot. Then how did he die of excessive bleeding?
Questions like these raise serious doubts about the authenticity of the encounter. Residents of Batla House and the Jamia fraternity swear by the fact that Atif and Sajid were innocent students who became victims of the conspiracy of the police and the government. But what really was the scene can only be speculated till some new findings come out. The questions that are asked are not just relevant in the matter of a cover-up by the police. It is more about the way the minorities in India are treated by the establishment to hide its own failures. It is also about the trust that the students of a university expect from the authorities once they are promised.

http://mylikhoni.blogspot.com/2009/09/batla-house-encounter-unanswered.html

NHRC sitting on RTI petition seeking details about its Batla encounter probe

By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net

New Delhi: It’s about one and half months since an application under Right to Information Act was filed with the National Human Rights Commission seeking explanations about the method and procedures of its enquiry into the Batla House encounter, but the apex constitutional body on human rights is yet to respond.
The NHRC in its report on the encounter submitted to the Delhi High Court on August 4 had given a clean chit to the Delhi Police in the September 19, 2008 encounter at House No. L-18 in the Batla House locality of Delhi’s Jamia Nagar. Two youths of Azamgarh, suspected to be terrorists, and Inspector MC Sharma were killed in the shootout. Neighbors, human and civil rights groups and parents of the slain youths said the encounter was staged and demanded a judicial probe. The demand was rejected by the government. However, at the order of the High Court, NHRC conducted a probe in which it declared that the encounter was genuine and the police opened fire in self defence.
The NHRC was alleged to have prepared the report without bothering to visit the spot, taking views of the neighbors, human rights activists, parents and even the accused the police claimed to have arrested from the flat.
The RTI application filed with the NHRC on August 12 sought to know: if in the process of the enquiry the commission talked to the family of Inspector MC Sharma, Atif and Sajid – the two Azamgarh youths killed in the encounter. The applicant also wanted to know if taking views of the petitioners and respondents and their witnesses is part of the process of its enquiry or not.
Does the commission visit site of encounter while probing it? If yes, then when did the commission visit the spot of Batla House encounter (date and time) and who did they talk to? asked the petitioner.
The petitioner has also sought to know from the commission as to why the commission did not order for a magisterial probe in Batla House encounter when its guidelines ask the commission to do so in every encounter.
Talking to TwoCircles.net on September 19, the day of the first anniversary of the Batla House encounter, RTI activist and petitioner of this application Afroz Alam Sahil said that the mandatory 30 days to respond to the application have ended and the commission is yet to respond his application. Sahil has sought information on 13 points related to the NHRC probe into the Batla encounter.