No, Section 5 (5) of the Act contemplates the Commission providing advice on an issue connected to the grant of access to any information exempted under the Act. Section 12(3) of the RTI Act 2005 provides as follows. Lok Sabha. October 11, 2021 Heads of MDAs whose institutions failed to provide information under RTI law By Kwaku Krobea Asante & Seth J. Bokpe "I don't care where the letter is coming from. Section 12(5) of the RTI Act 2005 provides that the Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners shall be persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology,social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance. There was also a focus on institutions that have recently engaged in key activities or projects of crucial concern to national development. The Right to Information ( RTI) is an act of the Parliament of India which sets out the rules and procedures regarding citizens' right to information. Chief Information Commissioner. The challenge is getting it running, and effective. Many of them merely acknowledged the requests but failed to provide the information. Do not visit if you are not a Domina Club member - Tripadvisor To contact a recruiter,discuss research or project collaborations, reach an expert, request a publication, or ask us a question about our work, complete the form below. There also appears to be no clearly defined structure or destination in some of the institutions where applications were supposed to go. The letter was one of 36 requests The Fourth Estate made to 33 public institutions. The person making the request can appeal to the Designated Officer if unsatisfied with the extension. the Commission shall communicate and inform persons about the right of The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged former U.S. Army financial counselor Caz L. Craffy for defrauding Gold Star family members and others by engaging in unauthorized tradingincluding of life insurance and family survivor benefits they received following the death of an active duty service memberand for recommending excessive trades and higher risk strategies that did not . In the case of refusal and neglect to provide the information requested, Section 31 of the law provides a pathwayapplication for internal review: Except as otherwise provided in this Act, a person aggrieved by a decision of the information officer of a public institution may submit an application for internal review of that decision to the head of the public institution.. I see Ministry of Roads and Highways in both the institutions that did not respond within the 14 days and the those who responded within the 14 days but didnt provide the information. other information worthy to members of the general public. In view of this, I entreat citizens to get themselves abreast with Act 989. as Consultant PS in Central Information Commission on contract basis, Corrigendum to advertisement for appointment of Sr PPS/PPS/US/PS/PA & Hindi Translator on Deputation(including short term contract/absorption basis) dated: 08-02-2018, Engagement of Consultant Sr PPS/PPS in Central Information Commission on contract basis. 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The assembly member welcomed the decision by the RTI Commission and charged other state agencies to take a cue from and abide by the constitutional rights of citizens' right to information. The Right to Information Commission is the place where your fundamental Shri Heeralal Samariya. Right to Information means that you now have the right to ask for information from Public Authorities as defined in the Act (see below; What are Public Authorities?). With those words uttered in very harsh tones, a receptionist at the Ministry of Education dismissed a journalist from The Fourth Estate. Please clarify this for me. List of Sicilian Mafia members by city - Wikipedia This is for the reason that the law gives the power to the Commission to act against the decisions of the DO in appeal. The Director-General is the CEO of the Commission. Drop it in that box and leave. When you are making an information request, the information officer is your first point of contact in a Public Authority. The group responsible for drawing Michigan's new legislative district lines is facing an ethics question after one of its members took a new . It made the request following news reports that the contract was between the Government of Ghana (GoG) and Jospong group, hence stated that the Ministry provided it contracts for the construction of regional waste recycling plants between the Government of Ghana and the Jospong Group., However, the Ministry, in a letter signed by Anthony Komla Dovlo, responded blankly stating that there is no contract between the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, and for that matter, Government of Ghana, and Jospong.. Placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Communication, the RTI has a board . If you make that request to the police, then the police could say it is subject of investigations. 12 of 2016 - add the Gazettes comprising the Regulations and Rules. This is not a requirement under the Act and no one can force you to disclose reasons for making a request. With the help of our committed and dedicated staff, we will ensure you receive Contact Us | RTI Monitor, The response to your letter is ambiguous, the letter said. State Information Commissioners. They also underscored the general aversion to transparency and how the internal communication structures of the civil service are set up to block such requests. 2023 Rule of law report - Communication and country chapters Support Mail rti@media.gov.lk. 8th October 2019 right of access to information as enshrined in the 1992 constitution of the Bio Data of former Members of the Commission: Download (160.21 KB) 4: Bio Data of serving SG,DG(I), Registrar(Law), Joint Secretary, DIG: This includes providing written acknowledgement of the request, responding to the request in time, informing the person making the request if an extension is needed, taking down the request in written form if it is made orally, maintain records of the information requests, and obtaining the assistance of any other officer in order to respond properly to the information requests. This includes the right to know how public funds are allocated and spent. (7) The decision of the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, shall be binding. But civil society organisations moved from push to shove. How is Central Information Commission constituted? Welcome to the website of the Right to Information Commission of Sri Lanka. It has an important role in championing the right to information among citizens and fostering a disclosure friendly administrative culture among public authorities covered by the RTI law. The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Mr. Jitendra Singh, on July 19, 2019. Even though 16 other institutions provided feedback to The Fourth Estates applications, not all of them followed up with granting us access to the information. University Grants Commission (UGC) Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi - 110002. Who are the current members of the RTI Commission? The Central Information Commission has been constituted with effect from 12-10-2005 under the Right to Information Act, 2005. SEC Charges Former Army Financial Counselor Who Defrauded Gold Star The RTI Act, 2005 specified the tenure, terms of service, and salaries of the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and Information Commissioners (ICs) at the central and state levels, in the parent law. INSIGHTS Amendments made to the Right to Information Act Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) Monday, 13 December 2021 03:34 - - 239. The RTI law indicates that an applicant must state in which means they want the information delivered to them. This is a procedural matter distinct from the substantive issue as to whether information should be granted or not. To see open positions and apply for a job, visit our Careers page. Mr Tanko did not understand what the ministry meant when they say the matter was under investigation. (f) In respect of any other matter relating to requesting or obtaining access to records under this Act. Domina Zagarella Sicily: Do not visit if you are not a Domina Club member - See 2,149 traveler reviews, 1,632 candid photos, and great deals for Domina Zagarella Sicily at Tripadvisor. The IEA made the request in the exercise of its fundamental right to information as enshrined in Article 21 (1) (f) of the 1992 Constitution. It is an initiative taken by Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions to provide a- RTI Portal Gateway to the citizens for quick search of information on the details of first Appellate Authorities . To request an interview, contact our Media Relations team. Failure to obtain decision from the Designated Officer. (6) An appeal under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) shall be disposed of within thirty days of the receipt of the appeal or within such extended period not exceeding a total of forty-five days from the date of filing thereof, as the case may be, for reasons to be recorded in writing. aliqua. PSIC RTI Helpline Number 0172-2864100 (Timing:- 10:00 AM - 04:00 PM) . The Information Officer should acknowledge your request as soon as possible. At the Right to Information Commission, we are committed to delivering He/she is the person required to provide you with the information you request for. real-time solutions. All the content on this website is copyright protected and can be reproduced only by giving the due courtesy to 'ft.lk' Copyright 2004 Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. The Commission under section 25 prepares an Annual Report on the implementation of the provision of the RTI Act and also makes a recommendation to a public authority to take necessary steps for bringing its practice in conformity with the provisions and spirit of the RTI Act. The Ghana National Fire Service denied The Fourth Estate a request for reports on the Accra Atomic Junction Gas explosion, the June 3 fire disaster, and the fire outbreak at the Ghana Revenue Authority office near the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in 2020. To contact a recruiter, discuss research or project collaborations, reach an expert, request a publication, or ask us a question about our work, complete the form below. Published July 4, 2023 at 2:03 AM EDT. In the cause of the appeals, the Ministry of Education and Legal Aid Commission released partial information to The Fourth Estate. No according to Rule 13 (2) of the RTI Rules of 2017 (Fees and Appeals Procedure) an appeal to the Commission can be made only in person or through registered post. I am very happy that this law has finally been passed, and I did make the commitment that, when it was brought to me, I would give my assent to it right away. Rajya Sabha. Fifty-six (56) days after the passage of the bill, on May 21, 2020, President Akufo-Addo assented to it within 24 hours of receiving the law. Parts of the determination by the RTI Commission stated that "the application was dated 17th March 2022 and received by the Commission on 1st April 2022. The request was to test a law that hadnt been given the opportunity to even fail. filed July 7, 2023) The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged former U.S. Army financial counselor Caz L. Craffy for defrauding Gold Star family members and others by engaging in unauthorized trading-including of life insurance and family survivor benefits they received following the death of an . Other members of the Commission will be former member/retired President of the Court of Appeal Justice Rohini Walgama, Open University Department of Sociology Department of Political and International Affairs Senior Lecturer Athulasiri Samarakoon; former member/Attorney-at-Law Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena, and Attorney-at-Law Liyana Arachchilage Jagath Bandara Liyanarachchi. A circular of the Government of Sri Lanka has specified that where state entities are concerned, the Head of that department or body becomes the Designated Officer if no Designated Officer is appointed. The Information Officer should inform you within 14 working days if the Public Authority will provide you with the information you requested and indicate the amount to be paid to obtain the information in the manner you requested. Caz L. Craffy, No. But, on second thought, I felt that I should sign it in the plain view of the Ghanaian people, for you to know that this long, winding parliamentary process has finally come to an end, he added. The Commission has the power to recommend disciplinary action against an officer of a Public Authority to the appropriate disciplinary authority: Under the Act, the Commission can institute legal action by way of prosecution in the Magistrates Court when any person commits the following offences: The Commission can institute action before the Magistrates Court. The European Commission's impact assessment and update on the EU's pesticide cuts plan sparked mixed reactions among stakeholders and lawmakers, sparking calls to stop stalling the reform and . RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. b. The object of the The Fourth Estate wrote to the GETFund requesting the list of scholarship beneficiaries and the amount disbursed to them under the Fund for 2019 and 2020. If a request is made to us in respect of any information, we are likely to mess up. Section 12 (5) of the RTI Act 2005 provides that the Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners shall be persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology,social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance. (a) Summoning and enforcing the attendance of persons and compel them to give oral or written evidence on oath and to produce the documents or things; (b) Requiring the discovery and inspection of documents; (d) Requisitioning any public record or copies thereof from any court or office; (e) Issuing summons for examination of witnesses or documents; and. Bilateral Agencies and Multilateral Banks, Universities and Academic Research Institutions, Child and Adolescent Research and Evaluation Program, Social and Economic Justice Research Collaborative, Narrative Research and Community Engagement Lab, Career and Adult Education and Workforce Development, Education Policy, Systems, and Governance, Global Food Security, Agriculture, and Nutrition, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, Learning, and Adapting (MERLA), RTI Center for Global Noncommunicable Diseases, Climate Planning, Preparedness and Resilience, Climate Vulnerability, Adaptation, and Mitigation, Sustainable Materials & Waste Management Solutions, Community Safety, Crime Prevention, and Victimization Response, RTI Center for Policing Research and Investigative Science, Child Well-Being and Family Strengthening, Evidence-Based Strategies to Reduce Firearm Violence, Innovation for Emerging and Developing Economies, Research, Technology, and Innovation Policy, Military Sexual Assault, Harassment, and Domestic Violence Prevention, North Carolina Center for Optimizing Military Performance, Coordinating Centers for Multisite Studies, Advanced Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods, Evaluating Communication Interventions and Campaigns, Evidence Synthesis for Policy and Practice, Curriculum and Teacher Professional Development, Human-Centered Design of Digital Solutions, Data Management and Decision Support Systems, Geospatial Science, Technology, and Visualization, Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), In Vitro Pharmacology, Bioassay Development, and High-Throughput Screening (HTS), Regulatory Consulting and Support for Medical Products, Proficiency Testing and Reference Materials, Policing Research and Investigative Science. What is the eligibility criteria and what is the process of appointment of CIC/IC? a. For RTI applications relating to Research Division and Training Division 3. Virginia Beach Mass Shooting Commission member resigns, alleges It had triggered political promises and failures before and after elections. At the Right to Information Commission, we are committed to delivering responsive and excellent services to all persons; natural or legal. RTI welcomes messages from job seekers, collaborators, and potential clients and partners. Established in 2007, it promotes the Sicilian territory as an outstanding location for audiovisual productions, and supports the developement of the local film industry and its . The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019 Ahead of the International Day for MEDIA STATEMENT RIGHT TO INFORMATION COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA Third Party Information means information that concerns a party other than the Public Authority or the person making the request, where such information has been given to the Public Authority by the Third Party in confidence. President Michael A. Caron of Connecticut. Republic of Ghana and the provisions of Act 989. On Saturday, 17th September, 2022, the Right to Information Commission as part of its RTI week celebration for 2022 embarked on a PRESS RELEASE 26th January, 2023 Pursuant to Section 77 of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), the Commission, hereby re Persuant to Section 75 (1) of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), the Right to Information Commission hereby notify the On Monday, 26th September, 2022, the Right to Information Commission as part of its 2022 RTI week celebration hosted its stakehold Adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor But it is beginning to dawn on civil society and the media that the celebrations were premature. The head of RTI at the ministry, Zakaria Musah, said in a letter that the matter was under investigation at the CID and that the request would only be ready after the investigations. Disciplinary action too may be taken against the guilty party by the relevant disciplinary authority. Information Officers exist for all public authorities. The Constitutional Council has to recommend nominees who have distinguished themselves in public life nominated by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, organisations of editors/publishers/media persons and other civil society organisations. Meanwhile, Section 78 of the RTI law indicates that an applicant only pays for the reproduction of the information requested. An Information Commissioner shall receive a pay of Rs. Many of the institutions including the DVLA, GNFS, and EOCO, provided feedback to The Fourth Estate that they did not receive the initial application for information. Kelly . The ministry ignored provisions of section 18 (5) of the RTI law. Interestingly, many of these institutions would later find the application after the appeal to the heads of the institutions. That request triggered what has been arguably the longest advocacy for the passage of a law (the RTI law) in recent years. These are all legitimate requests, and the request is going to a public institution. Meanwhile, for every application, The Fourth Estate ensured that the officers, mostly front desk officers, who received the request signed or stamped a copy as evidence that the request has been filed. STATEMENT BY RIGHT TO INFORMATION COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA ON RIGHT TO INFORMATION DAY, 2020 Milford creates fair rent commission, but may 'take a while' to start We equally welcome your feedback for an interactive and RTI Disclosure. Ghana Police fined GH100k for refusing RTI Commission's orders Angela Congigliaro [16] Don Agostino Coppola [17] Ferdinando "Freddy" Gallina [18] Franca Pellerito [16] Angelo Antonino Pipitone [16] Benedetto Pipitone [16] Epifania Pipitone [16] Francesco Marco Pipitone [16] Gaspare Pulizzi. Right to Information Act, 2005 - Wikipedia Proactive disclosureis the act of releasing information before it is requested. website. The Right to Information Commission (The Commission) as part of its mandate, has intensified the education on Right to Information On 8th September, 2022, The Right to Information Commission launched its Right to Information Week Celebration for the year 2022. to know about the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989) and the Right to Commission, Ghana. RTI Commission sensitises Energy Commissio.. RTI COMMISSION LAUNCHES ITS RTI WEEK 2022.. Weekly Cause List Monthly Progress Report Recovery of Penalties Department Wise List of Imposed Penalty Imposed Penalty Status Directions of CIC Under Section 15(4) of RTI Act 2005 Fees and Costs List of PIOs & FAAs DoPT Circulars Relating to RTI GoUP Circulars Relating to RTI Important Office Orders Such request should be responded to within 48 hours. If we dont put in the structures to make sure it is working well and serve the purpose for which it is passed, then it becomes problematic, she said. It was, in fact, brought to me yesterday afternoon, the President said. The law stipulates that public institutions must publish periodically a manual providing key and specific pieces of information relating to their work. access to information, the Commission's announcements, publications and (3)Each report shall state in respect of the year to which the report relates-. I can confidently say none of this is exempt [not supposed to be released] information, lawyer Tanko said. The law, which took effect on January 2, 2020, is expected to make it easier for the public to request and receive information from public institutions in Ghana. The Right to Information Commission is an independent statutory Commission established under the Right to Information Act, No. The Video Conference facility is available at the Punjab State Information Commission. 2..All cases on board dated:30.06.2023 before Bench No.3 stand postponed to dated:25.07.2023 and 27.07.2023 due to some unavoidable reasons. The website shall serve as the authoritative platform through which In 1996, a leading governance think tank in Ghana, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), wrote to the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to request information. YAW SARPONG BOATENG ESQ Executive Secretary. The bill gathered momentum in the dying embers of the Mahama administration in 2016 but hit a snag. However, the following institution must be separated for commendation. ERG . Upon conviction the guilty party will be liable to a fine not exceeding Rs. Advertisement Circular for filling up the posts of Assistant Section Officer & Personal Assistant on Deputation (ISTC), Hindi Translator and Staff Car Driver (Ordinary Grade) on Deputation absorption basis. Only the information that is specifically mentioned in Section 5 of the Act cannot be asked for. My attempt is "a multichannel system for universal accessibility". Monitoring and Reporting | CIC Ms Maiga, who has been on the frontline training CSOs, journalists and community activists on the RTI law, said the challenge has moved from having the law passed to having it work.. Click here to File Objection only according to standard question booklet and Answer key uploaded by the Commission for the posts of Scientist-B (Group-B) in Haryana State Pollution Control Board (Advt No. Pinto-Jayawardena was nominated by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, and Justice Walgama, was nominated by the Sri Lanka Press Institute and its constituent partners, the Newspaper Society, the Editors Guild, the Free Media Movement and the Working Journalists Association together with its affiliated partner unions. This exception to the exemptions applies to all the exemptions provided in Section 5 of the Act. Initially, the border districts namely Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur and Ludhiana were covered through Video Conferencing. Fri, 06/30/2023 - 12:00. It stipulates that an information officer of a public institution must respond to an applicant within 14 days of receiving the request for information. Other languages (1) 5 JULY 2023. At the end of 14 days after making the requests, 52% (17 out of the 33) institutions failed to acknowledge or respond. RTI rules related to the Central Information Commission We value your support and contributions towards the growth of the Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Needless to say, the Ministry of Education, where the receptionist works, is one of the institutions that refusedThe Fourth Estateaccess to information 14 days after the letter was submitted. A RTI request should be made to the Information Officer of the Public Authority in the manner prescribed in RTI Form 01 (mentioned above). c. Protect, and The Fee Schedule is provided for in the Rules on Fees and Appeal Procedure of the Commission (Gazetted in February 2017). The IEA drafted the RTI Bill in 1999. The tenure of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission, which is the central oversight and appellate body established under the Right to Information Act of Sri Lanka, expired in September this year. The Sri Lankan regime on right to information comprises of the relevant Constitutional Provision (Art. Phone: 011-23604446, 011-23604200. Governor Punjab, on 3rd March 2011. When the information relates to a large number of records, or when the information is stored in a town, city, or location situated at a distance from the said Public Authority. These are any personal information that is not related to public interest, any information which may undermine national security and national relations with any states, information that may cause prejudice to the economy of Sri Lanka, information of commercial confidence, any personal medical records, confidential information in a fiduciary relationship, information that may cause prejudice to criminal cases or national security, information that concerns third parties, information that may constitute contempt of court or cause prejudice to judicial independence, information that impinges on parliamentary privileges or privileges of a Provincial Council, information causing harm to the integrity of examinations, confidential information relating to an election and cabinet memoranda where decisions have not been taken.