Amending RTI Act will dilute powers of Information Commission: Kejriwal

On Friday, the Centre introduced a bill in Lok Sabha to amend the RTI Act, seeking to give the government powers to fix salaries, tenures of employment of information commissioners

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Monday opposed the Centre's move to amend the RTI Act, alleging that it will end the independence of central and states information commissions.

Kejriwal, who had actively worked for implementation of the Right to Information Act before coming into politics, said the decision to amend the RTI Act was a "bad move".

"Decision to amend the RTI Act is a bad move. It will end the independence of Central & States Information Commissions, which will be bad for RTI," Kejriwal tweeted.

On Friday, the Centre introduced a bill in Lok Sabha to amend the RTI Act, seeking to give the government powers to fix salaries, tenures and other terms and conditions of employment of information commissioners.

While tabling the Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh had asserted it would lead to ease of delivery of RTI Act and described it as an enabling legislation for administration purposes.

However, transparency activists have slammed the government's move to amend the Act to take away statutory parity of Information Commissioners with Election Commissioners in terms of tenure and service conditions, saying it is an attack on the independence of the panel.