RJD leader comes out in support of CIC order on parties

Striking a different note, senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh today welcomed the CIC order that held political parties are answerable under the Right to Information Act and slammed those opposing the "historical" order.

"It's a matter of serious concern that all political parties have joined together and giving absurd arguments to oppose the order," the RJD leader said.

He said the Central Information Commission's historical order should be welcomed so that the use of black money in elections comes to an end and there is inner democracy within political parties.

"Being on the side of the transparency is morally the right thing to do. It is expected that political parties and their workers will reconsider their views on it," Singh said in a press release.

Most of the political parties, including Left, Congress, BJP and JDU, have expressed their disagreement over the CIC order.

"It becomes a matter of serious concern all the more, when the ruling Congress also recently opposed the recent order of the CIC. Left parties and BJP also expressed their disagreement over the order by citing one or another reason," the RJD leader rued.

In a landmark ruling to ensure transparency in the functioning of political parties, the CIC on June 3 held that the parties are public authorities and answerable to citizens under RTI Act.

The Commission, a quasi-judicial body, had said six national parties -- Congress, BJP, NCP, CPI-M, CPI and BSP -- have been substantially funded indirectly by the central government and they have the character of public authority under the RTI Act as they perform public functions.

The RJD leader said political parties get many privileges from the government like land and buildings on discount rates and rebate in income tax.