(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 13 May 2005 IFJ media release: IFJ welcomes passing of Right to Information Bill and calls for scrapping of Official Secrets Act The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, has welcomed the passing of the Right to Information Bill by the Indian […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 13 May 2005 IFJ media release:
IFJ welcomes passing of Right to Information Bill and calls for scrapping of Official Secrets Act
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, has welcomed the passing of the Right to Information Bill by the Indian Parliament on 12 May and called for immediate scrapping of the Official Secrets Act.
“The enactment of this significant piece of legislation is a positive step towards establishing the citizen’s right to know,” said IFJ President Christopher Warren.
The passing of the Right to Information Bill is the result a sustained campaign by Indian civil society organisations and is a marked improvement on its predecessor, the Freedom of Information Act. The Bill is in consonance with a worldwide Freedom of Information Movement that has led to the enactment of more than 50 similar Bills around the world.
The Bill legitimises citizens’ right to information and the duty of the government to provide it. It also establishes that the state apparatus must be materially equipped to provide that information, and that access to information must be inexpensive. Most importantly, it contains serious penalties for non-compliance and also provides for an independent appeals procedure in case of non-compliance or disputes.
This Bill is also unique in that the implementation will be overseen by a body whose composition is not confined to civil servants.
“The Right to Information Bill will contribute to increased accountability by the government, since corruption and misuse of official resources will now come under stricter scrutiny,” said the IFJ. It will also act as a tool for journalists to access information that should be put into the public domain.
The IFJ however views with disquiet the introduction of a new category of government bodies that will be outside the purview of the Bill – intelligence and security agencies established by state governments. This multiplies manifold the number of agencies exempt from the purview of the law.
“If the government is serious about ensuring transparency in governance, it should immediately scrap the archaic Official Secrets Act that has been used to harass and imprison journalists doing their job of informing the public,” said Warren.
The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 110 countries.
