That transparency only hinges on pieces of papers and supposedly a red tape draped around them now seems a thing of the past. And significant credit must go to a journalist turned information commissioner from Madhya Pradesh who added a new dimension of transparency in the RTI Act by live-streaming the hearing of an appeal on Wednesday.
This was the first instance when any information commissioner live-streamed hearing proceedings to enhance transparency.
Rahul Singh, one of the information commissioners (ICs) appointed at Madhya Pradesh information commission last year, with a journalistic background in print and electronic media for well over two decades, has been breaking stereotypes concerning the RTI Act.
On Wednesday he live-streamed the hearing on show-cause notices issued to four public information officers (PIOs) from Rewa in connection with an alleged Rs 300 crore panchayat taxation scam.
The dissemination of desired information is yet to take place in the matter as the RTI query has been shuttling between the zila panchayat office and various janpad panchayat offices in the district for several months.
The information commissioner had already carried out a hearing on WhatsApp call on August 17 and had issued show-cause notices of Rs 25,000 fine to four PIOs in the matter and offered them a chance to present their side on Wednesday.
Speaking to News18, Singh said that live-streaming was part of his efforts to make RTI more transparent. “At times, applicants claim their contention wasn’t taken care of in the hearing and on others, government officers concerned rue their arguments weren’t taken up properly and they got subjected to penal provisions due to this,” said Singh who has been accepting RTI appeals on WhatsApp and Twitter for long, especially during the Covid-19 crisis when social distancing is the need of the hour.
Live-streaming could be a tool to address appeal-related grievances of the stakeholders, said Singh who also issues notices and summons on WhatsApp to officers concerned besides sending them copies on email.
Singh is very active on Twitter and makes it a point to reply to RTI applicants on their queries and problems.
A large number of social media users applauded the innovative step from the information commissioner. Among those was Shailesh Gandhi, the former chief information commissioner, who commented, “A great initiative and practicing transparency. My salute to the information commissioner Shri Rahul Singh.”
Several users slammed government officers involved in the hearing for delaying dissemination of information under RTI.
Rolly Shivhare, an activist from Bhopal who frequently uses the RTI Act for drawing information, lauded the step. “It will definitely enhance transparency but if this happens officially with the orders from the CIC, it can help RTI applicants immensely as hearing details will be available in official records,” added Shivhare.
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