After multiple rounds of debate,
Rajya Sabha today passed the Right to information (Amendment)Bill, 2019.
Lok Sabha passed the bill on July 22. The bill was passed through a voice vote with 218 votes in favour and 79 against in the Lok Sabha.
The bill proposes an amendment in the Right to Information Act,
2005 to empower the central government with the right to determine the term, salaries and other terms and conditions of service of the chief
information commissioners and information commissioners and the State Chief Information Commissioner and the State Information Commissioners.
The bill removes the previous provisions and states that and states that the salaries, allowances, and other terms and conditions of service of the central and state CIC and ICs will be determined by the central government.
During the debate, several members of the opposition staged a walkout after their attempt to stall the Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was defeated.
The opposition claimed that through the amendment, the Union Government was seeking to weaken the
RTI Act by gaining more control over the working of Central and State information commissions.