RTI Newsletters


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 199	E - Alert	Issue Date: 28-02-2020

Pakistan Only 12 RTI applications filed in merged districts in one and half years MENAFN Like other laws of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Right to Information (RTI) Law was also extended to merged tribal districts after Fata-KP merger under the 25th constitutional amendment... India Transparency of information is vital to a country’s progress Live Mint The widespread availability of the internet at the turn of the century followed by ubiquitous access to social media and the advent of a mobile internet... Australia State of Freedom of Information in Vic report published The Mandarin The report provides an overview of the administration of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic) (FOI Act) by Victorian government agencies over the past five years... Mozambique Nampula authorities promise access to information All Africa The authorities in the northern Mozambican province of Nampula have guaranteed that local sources of information are open and willing to cooperate with the press... UNESCO UNESCO launches 2020 survey on public access to information UNESCO Using SDG Indicator 16.10.2, the survey will track progress on the adoption and implementation of constitutional, statutory and/or policy guarantees for public access to information around the world... Ghana EC declines MP’s request for information sharing Ghana Web The Electoral Commission has declined a request by Ashaiman MP Ernest Norgbe to share information on how it selected its consultants... Bosnia-Herzegovina Experts on legal analysis on freedom of expression laws gathered in Bosnia-Herzegovina Sarajevo Times Expert legal analysis on freedom of expression laws in BiH and their compatibility with European standards of protection of human rights... Canada New vexatious rules worry freedom of information advocates that feds can abuse the system National Post Any loophole put in the law is there for the government to hide something that people have the right to know... England Freedom of Information legislation, Fit for purpose? EurekAlert New research has identified a clear accountability gap in the current Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation when it comes to outsourced public services... USA FBI and Department of Justice reject Freedom of Information Act document request World Socialist Web Site The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has rejected a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by David North, national chairman of the Socialist Equality Party (US... Pakistan Can information commissions make a difference? The Express Tribune Governments in Pakistan have traditionally been reluctant to the point of resentment when it comes to sharing information...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 198


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 198	E - Alert	Issue Date: 13-02-2020

Ireland Regulatory trends: what is new in freedom of information? MONDAQ The Report noted that since 2015 and the extension of FOI to a number of new public bodies, there has been a 32% increase in the total requests made to public bodies... Pakistan Pakistan’s faux democracy unable to respect the right to information Global Village Space In Pakistan, the RTI has been bestowed a constitutional status of a fundamental right in the 18th constitutional amendment... Nepal Access to information enables open local government Nepal24Hours An informed citizenry can only provide civic oversight on the decisions and functions of the government and public authorities... Canada Access to information and privilege: the saga continues JDSUPRA The Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench has provided some much needed guidance on solicitor-client privilege... Afghanistan Implement access to information law Amnesty International In Afghanistan, 30 different media organizations have called on the government to effectively implement the Afghan Access to Information Law, including providing information on key human rights issues... Panama Panama takes a turn towards transparency, but will it go far enough? Transparency International The country that became almost synonymous with the creation of offshore companies for disguising corrupt and illicit activity... India Now, you need to prove you're an Indian before you seek information via RTI Business Insider India It is shocking how the university has twisted the RTI law as per its whims and fancy. It does not have any authority to do so... India SC notice to government on Jairam Ramesh's plea against chan Times of India A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and KM Joseph issued notice to the Centre and asked it to file response within four weeks on the petition filed... Ghana Are Ghanaians ready to take advantage of the new right to information law? All Africa After more than 20 years of considerable legislative maneuvering and exhaustive political scrutiny, Ghana's right to information (RTI) law has come into effect... Nigeria What to know about Freedom of Information Act Osun Defender There is no gainsaying that information contributes largely to the success of any active society... Pakistan Strategy to implement RTI law discussed The News International Punjab Information Commission held a two-day National Forum of Information Commissioners of Pakistan here...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 197


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 197	E - Alert	Issue Date: 28-01-2020

Pakistan PIC warns of contempt as Senate declines info about its staff The News Going by Right of Access to Information Act 2017, the Senate Secretariat is legally obliged to proactively share this information relating staff through its website... USA Does the public have a right to see how courts are run? A battle over secret records is brewing in Richmond Daily Press Legislators from both parties, upset by the Virginia Supreme Court’s declaration last year that the state Freedom of Information Act doesn’t apply... Ireland Supreme Court FOI ruling will alter public's relationship with State The Journal Nine months after the demise of Irish transparency was first heralded, we are still waiting for the lights to go out... Afghanistan Samangan provincial authorities and media forge ties to improve access to information Relief Web More than 30 journalists and government officials, including the provincial deputy governor, participated in a one-day workshop organized... Canada Summerside working on access to information bylaw Journal Pioneer The regulations are very broad. Access to information can include records, any information electronic, handwritten and can be subject to an access to information request... Scotland Freedom of information law not fit for purpose Holyrood Scotland’s freedom of information law is not fit for purpose and MSPs must back "radical reforms" to create a strong culture of transparency and accountability... Ghana Media practitioners sensitised on the RTI Law Ghana Web Exempt information is one that bothers on national security, international relations, law enforcement and public safety, parliamentary privilege, fair trial and contempt of court amongst other... India No record available: PMO on RTI seeking details of PM Modi's media interaction India Today The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has no record of the press conferences and media interviews given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his more than five-year long tenure... Nigeria The Nigerian Voice The Nigerian Voice The suit was filed on behalf of Ms Ovuorie by Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Agu David Nwaze, a member of the Freedom of Information Legal Response Network... Australia RTI for post codes of northern prison sites denied The Examiner The location of other potential sites for the proposed northern prison has still not been revealed, despite right to information requests... United Kingdom Freedom of Information is broken Open Democracy The government routinely ignores and undermines the law governing our access to information...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 196


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 196	E - Alert	Issue Date: 15-01-2019

Scotland RTI Behind Changing Behavior of Democracy in India Public Technology.net Daren Fitzhenry has been Scotland’s Information Commissioner for a little over two years, a time during which freedom of information (FoI) has been an unusually hot topic... Pakistan RTI commission's annual budget held up at Finance Ministry for the last six months Business Recorder Zahid Abdullah is no stranger to Right to Information. As a civil society activist, he is a renowned RTI advocate and a champion of human rights... India Locus And RTI: to be, or not to be? Live Law Recently Chief Justice S. A. Bobde had criticised how the concept of locus standi being conspicuous only by its absence in the RTI law and how the Act... Philippines Freedom of Information champion Manila Standard With at least 99-percent outstanding performance rating in compliance and response in the electronic freedom of information portal... USA Why policymakers must act to preserve information freedom at home and abroad Washington Post Topping the very short list of issues that many Democrats and Republicans can agree upon... Tunisia Access to Information: A story of resistance from Tunisia Transparency International After the Tunisian Revolution in 2010, the government became much more amenable to the ideas of openness and transparency... India Voluntary disclosure will reduce RTI pleas Times of India A special workshop for disseminating information about the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005 was organised... Ghana Ghana: Implementation of RTI must take off smoothly All Africa Ghana has become one of the world's 125th countries across the world with Right to Information (RTI) law... Pakistan Speakers stress importance of RTI law The Express Tribune Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Law, Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Barrister Murtaza Wahab... United Kingdom Metropolitan Police reject freedom of information request over racism reports from football fans Football.London Metropolitan Police have rejected a freedom of information request relating to how many incidents of racist abuse in the capital’s football stadiums...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 195


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 195	E - Alert	Issue Date: 27-12-2019

Cambodia Access to Information bill falls short Cambodia Daily While the Cambodian government’s efforts to facilitate access to information held by public authorities are positive, the Draft Law has numerous shortcomings... Pakistan Body set up to address media problems Dawn Speaking to the media outside the Parliament House, the special assistant said an information commission had already been established and the government... Bangladesh Law needs RTI-defenders The Daily Star Unless citizens appreciate the dangers confronting their RTI regimes seriously, the law is likely to end up as a paper tiger... Jammu and Kashmir RTI ‘designates’ (PIOs) in J&K UT clueless about road-ahead State Times This became evident when the Public Information Officer (PIO) in the office of Deputy Commissioner, Jammu found himself in quandary whether to entertain applications under the Act or not... Pakistan Govt believes in free flow of information Radio Pakistan Government is providing financial assistance to the deceased journalists’ families in education and healthcare... Philippines Palace urges Congress to pass FOI bill Asian Journal Freedom of Information must be implemented across the bureaucracy: the executive, legislature, judiciary, including the local government units... India Abuse of RTI has led to paralysis and fear among officials The Hindu Time has come to lay down guidelines on the use of the RTI. Guidelines should be put in place to check the locus of the RTI applicant... USA Access to information fuels democracy SC Times If there is no difference between fact and fiction there can be no democracy. But 2+2 does equal 4 and we know it, so why behave like monkeys on a rope... Jamaica Information in the public interest Jamaica Observer The fact is that the squabbles over getting information released under the ATI Act are often related to juicy or potentially controversial information...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 194


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 194	E - Alert	Issue Date: 18-12-2019

India RTI Behind Changing Behavior of Democracy in India Nepal24hours.com Since a burgeoning number of RTI applications have been registered in India in a year to demand information of public interest, the ecosystem of access... Texas (USA) Government agencies increasingly limit public access to officials and information The Texas Monitor Texas Education Agency Deputy Commissioner A.J. Crabill says he is hamstrung by an agency policy that prohibits him from talking to the news media... Australia NSW info commissioner reminds councils their private pecuniary interests must be made public The Mandarin Disclosing such interests is key to upholding openness, transparency and accountability in local government, according to Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd... Jamaica You don't get your own truth, PM Jamaica Observer Jamaica has been blessed with a democratic system of governance of which we can be truly proud... Philippines FOI Initiative is back Business World Enshrined in the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines (Article III, Sec. 7) is the right of the people to access information on matters of public concern... India Chief of Defence Staff to come under RTI Act: MoS Defence ANI News Chief of Defence Staff would come in the ambit of ‘Right to Information Act’, in accordance with the provisions of RTI Act, 2005... Ghana RTI law not for only Journalists, every Ghanaian is a beneficiary News Ghana The Right to Information (RTI) law was not the preserve of only journalists, but meant for every Ghanaian to have the right to access information... European Union (EU) Still too hard to access environmental information in the EU EEB.org The new report – ‘For Your Information’ – shows that it remains difficult to obtain information on environmental matters, and details some notable examples... Pakistan Federal information commission set to launch website Dawn Federal Information Commission has decided to launch its official website next week to help the people get the desired information from government departments... Pakistan Pakistan- Waziristan is leading in use of RTI law in tribal districts MENAFN Speakers at a day-long seminar on Thursday said that in the tribal belt, people of Waziristan are leading in the use of Right to information law... USA From Ukraine to the U.S. Government, public integrity journalists fight for open records Center for Public Integrity Public Integrity national security editor Jeff Smith requested these documents under the Freedom of Information Act... United Kingdom (UK) Weaknesses in town council's handling of Freedom of Information request South Wales Argus The town council was incorrect to refuse an FOI request to see a report produced at a full council meeting in May, according to an ICO report...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 193


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 193	E - Alert	Issue Date: 29-11-2019

USA Your right to know, Informative forum on open government The Daily Gazette The forum, held Oct. 16, addressed a number of related topics, first focusing on the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL)... Sri Lanka Strengthening RTI in Sri Lanka Daily FT In Sri Lanka, the right to seek and receive information is a constitutional right guaranteed under Article 14A of Sri Lanka’s Constitution... British Virgin Islands I'm not convinced Freedom of Information Act will make a difference BVI News Opposition member Julian Fraser has said he believes implementing a Freedom of Information Act will not make a difference in relation to having access to information... India Bringing CJI under RTI, a welcome move The Hindustan Business Line After a decade, the Supreme Court has accepted the Delhi High Court ruling that the office of the Chief Justice of India... Bangladesh RTI law: Bridging the gap between promise and practice The Daily Star The ostensive purpose of the law is to establish the right of citizens to access information about the functioning of their governments... Connecticut (USA) Freedom of Information Must Continue To Be Safeguarded Law.com A Freedom of Information Commission Public Information Officer explains transparency laws to private citizens and public officials alike... Gambia Cabinet Approves Freedom of Information Bill, Removes All Gender Discriminatory Laws The Voice Gambia The Minister of Justice, Honourable Abubakarr Tambadou, who presented the Bills before Cabinet colleagues, stated that the momentous decision... Pakistan Local action for global goals: Measuring progress on access to information in Pakistan Mirage News A delegation from Pakistan visited UNESCO on 14 November to share how the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province has generated evidence and data... UNESCO UNESCO launches three reports on journalists’ safety, access to information, and election coverage Inter Press Service Access to Information: A New Promise for Sustainable Development explores recent legislative developments and their effect in the field, as well as evolving international standards and practices... Algeria Algeria: there is no political reform without freedom of expression and media Open Democracy The wheels of the regime’s constitutional reform engine had been set into motion... Ghana MFWA Train Journalists on RTI Implementation Modern Ghana The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Thursday organised has trained journalists in Accra with in-depth knowledge ahead of the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act in 2020... Scotland Freedom of information reform Holyrood A Scottish Government consultation on the need to extend the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) to cover a wider range of bodies involved in providing services...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 192


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 192	E - Alert	Issue Date: 11-11-2019

India Modi govt sees RTI an obstacle to majotarian agenda: Sonia Gandhi The Asian Age Right to Information (RTI) as "an obstacle to enforcing their majoritarian agenda" and that the amendments to the Act enacted by it will ensure that... Canada Researcher threatened over access to information wins full costs Ottawa Citizen Ken Rubin has won the full amount of his legal costs after a company tried to sue him for filing a freedom of information request... Myanmar Our Right to Information Is Inseparable From Our Right to Expression The Irrawaddy Ahead of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists on Nov. 2, it’s important to recognize the essential link between the right to freedom of expression and the right to information... Transparency International Using the right to information for investigative journalism in Bangladesh Transparency International One of his sources had told him about a counterfeiting scheme which had been making fake stamps for validating legal documents... Zambia Access to Information Bill will punish those publishing false information Lusaka Times Chief Government Spokesperson Dora Siliya has said that the Access to Information Bill once enacted will stiffen punishment for people who publish false information... USA Washington State Supreme Court rules that access to public records is not a vested right Jurist The Evergreen Freedom Foundation submitted a request for access to the records of individuals providing childcare for low-income families in early November, 2016... UK Officers not to blame for FOI failure Times and Star UK But councillor David Moore stressed that the failure was not the fault of hard-working officers but had more to do with the volume of requests... Sierra Leone Access to information regulations validated in Sierra Leone Politico SL Addressing a meeting of representatives of ministries, departments and agencies, civil society organizations, media, academics and the private sector operatives... Australia Your right to know, The battle to access your own personal information The Age Journalists chasing stories, politicians trying to dig up dirt on their rivals or community groups fighting developments make up a tiny percentage of applicants... UK Oxford man uses Freedom of Information bid to challenge city council bus gate plan Oxford Mail UK Under the Freedom of Information Act, residents have a right to request any recorded information held by a public authority, such as a government department or local counci006Cx... Pakistan Paris Peace Forum, KP govt RTI delegation leaves for France The News International A delegation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is leaving for France today (Sunday) to present the first-ever Right to Information (RTI) Assessment Methodology Project... Austria, European Union GDPR versus PSD II - right of access to information versus charges for information Lexology In a recent decision,(1) the Federal Administrative Court confirmed that a credit institution had violated its obligations under Article 15 of the EU Data Protection Regulation...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 191


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 191	E - Alert	Issue Date: 17-10-2019

Pakistan LAW, THE RIGHT TO KNOW Dawn I often avail data from government departments about the minorities’ quota in the hiring of staff... Pakistan Call to enhance journalists ‘capacity for better use of RTI laws The News Waleed Iqbal said Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan ensured freedom of speech and expression with a very few restrictions... Bangladesh The growing maturity of RTI use in Bangladesh The Daily Star Unlike earlier years, the discussions and exchanges this year were more upbeat and hopeful about the future of the law in the country... Jamaica It's the citizens who must protect their right to know Jamaica Observer The reaction of the public was understandably swift and poignantly repulsive of what was clearly the Government's retreat to a lack of transparency in governance... India Supreme Court gives 4 weeks more to Centre, states to file replies on the plea Times of India The top court, while giving four more weeks for filing response, made it clear that no further adjournment would be given in the matter... Scotland Record number of Freedom of Information requests made BBC The Scottish Information Commissioner reported a rise of 8% in the year 2018-19 compared to the previous year... India Do RTI Commissioners have the Right to Information? The Wire Governments have shown their dislike towards the institution by posting the most hostile bureaucrats as commissioners... Lebanon Lebanese Transparency Association demands the government adopt rigorous anti-corruption reforms Transparency International No Corruption (LTA), calls upon the Lebanese government to seriously address the demands of the Lebanese people, expressed in the demonstrations... Australia Your Right To Know is a cornerstone of democracy The Australia The multiple veils of secrecy imposed by the federal government, and the states, have drawn media organisations together... USA Department of Justice Issues New Guidance on Exemption 4 to the Freedom of Information Act JD Supra The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) generally requires federal agencies to disclose information requested by the public unless... New York (USA) Does your local government honor FOIL requests? WBFO The Buffalo Niagara Coalition for Open Government recently sent FOIL requests to 16 local governments in Erie and Niagara Counties... Sri Lanka RI Commission says public sector needs to be more committed to releasing information Daily FT While there is success stories that Sri Lanka has experienced during a short period of two years since the implementation of the RTI Act...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 190


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 190	E - Alert	Issue Date: 01-10-2019

Pakistan PTI fails to comply with Right to Information Act Geo News None of the 33 federal ministries have uploaded even 50 per cent of information required to put on the website... Ghana Government to appoint Information Commissioner My Joy Online In line with the requirements of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, government shall soon appoint a Commissioner of Information... Australia Australian and NZ info commissioners highlight importance of public information The Mandarin The public’s right to know would set the expectation for government accountability, prompt better decision-making and strengthen citizen engagement... UNESCO Open Talks showcase access to information as driver for sustainable development Mirage News UNESCO showcased forward-looking initiatives that are improving people’s access to information globally and leaving no one behind during a series of Open Talks... Australia Don’t underestimates value of right to know Government News Citizens highly value the right to find out government information, and government departments and agencies should make better use of technology... New Zealand Community Attitudes towards freedom of information survey Scoop New Zealand is rated by Transparency International as one of the most transparent countries in the world... Russia Russian internet regulator blocks independent Fergana news website Committee to Protect Journalists (CJP) Russia’s state internet regulator Roskomnadzor ordered internet service providers to block the site without warning... United Kingdom UK to Release ’Pay to Slay’ Audits After Freedom of Information Request The Algemeiner The branch of the British government responsible for administering overseas aid will disclose audit reports regarding aid money... Jamaica Resolution to amend ATI Act pulled from Senate The Gleaner The Government fulfilled its promise today to withdraw the resolution that would increase from 20 to 70 years... Oklahoma (USA) Freedom of information in Oklahoma like cardboard in our pizza The Edmond Sun Thanks to the federal Freedom of Information Act, which has made it possible for anyone to peek behind the curtain and expose governmental misdeeds... United Kingdom UK rights group reveals secret government Prevent database ALJazeera The database, which belongs to Prevent, part of the United Kingdom's counter-extremism strategy, was uncovered by rights group Liberty through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests... India No content regulation on online streaming platforms, RTI reveals India Today India Today TV filed an RTI (Right to Information) application with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) because the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 189


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 189	E - Alert	Issue Date: 16-09-2019

Bangladesh RTI, How do we compare with the rest of the world? The Daily Star With some 130 countries around the world having adopted Right to Information (RTI) laws, we now know a great deal about how citizens use this law... India Rajasthan reboots RTI Act: Jan Soochna Portal to provide govt information at the click of a button Indian Express Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot launched a “Jan Soochna Portal” aimed at easing the access to information for the beneficiaries of welfare schemes... Namibia Access to Information Bill signed off New Era Nawatiseb made the remarks when the African Commission for Human and People’s Rights Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information Commissioner... South Carolina (US) Richland County School District One violated FOIA law at board meeting WIS News A lawsuit filed earlier this month in Richland County alleges Richland County School District One violated the Freedom of Information Act ... India Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019, All you need to know India Today The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh, on July 19, 2019... Pakistan Politicians, rights groups reject idea of ‘media courts’ Dawn Politicians, media bodies and rights groups rejected the federal government’s announcement of setting up of special tribunals... Gambia Stakeholders Review Draft Freedom of Information Bill All Africa The event gathered about two dozen experts from government, civil society, media and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Right... UNESCO The right to access information highlighted by IFAP at its meeting in Malaysia UNESCO.org Hosted by the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia, with the support of UNESCO, the meeting was opened by the IFAP Chair... Pakistan P&D Board Launches New Website Urdupoint The Planning and Development Board has launched its new website in order to keep the citizens updated with the latest news and information... Pakistan First-ever NFIC set up in Pakistan The Nation The forum consists of all in-service information commissioners from federal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh... South Australia SA ombudsman wants bureaucrats to let FOI officers do their job The Mandarin The involvement of department chief executives and ministers in the Freedom of Information process, and has called for an Information Commissioner to be installed... Lebanon Access to Information Law Stalled Human Rights Watch Lebanese authorities have largely failed to comply with the country’s Right to Access to Information Law, and the government has not established the body...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 187


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 187	E - Alert	Issue Date: 19-08-2019

India Country facing grave challenges as key institutions no longer free National Herald India It has never faced such challenges since independence. We paid a heavy price to get independence from the British Raj... USA We found out how many times the Mueller report has been downloaded Politico According to data obtained by POLITICO under the Freedom of Information Act, the special counsel’s final report was downloaded nearly 800 million times... Australia Press freedom in Australia needs much more than piecemeal protection The Interpreter Alone among the Five Eyes, Australia has no explicit protection of journalists in the exercise of search warrants ... Latin America Group of renowned Latin American journalists launch center for transnational investigative journalism Knight Center We are going to lead collaborative transnational projects of investigative journalism, and we want to find the most qualified people to work on these things... England Special educational needs crisis deepens as councils bust their budgets The Guardian Figures sourced under the Freedom of Information Act from 118 of the 151 local authorities in England show that councils are expecting to overspend... Pakistan Effective measures taken to revamp Information Ministry departments Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) The government achieved establishment of Commission on Right of Access to Information, rationalization of advertisement rates of electronic media... United Kingdom UK government under fire over £10m Brexit campaign The Drum Critics have lashed out at the scale of government spending on a public information campaign designed to help people... Sri Lanka SL has not made greater progress towards good governance & transparency Adaderana.ik The country has made progress in the areas of peace and reconciliation, he said citing the constitutional changes that were made to establish the Right to Information a fundamental right of the citizens as an example in this regard... India Nagaland recorded highest numbers of RTI applications The Morung Express Among the small states category, Nagaland recorded the highest number of RTI applications received from 2006-07 to 2016-17 at 24, 896... Pakistan Bureaucrats trying to fail RTI law The News International These colonial mindset bureaucrats are creating hurdles in free access to information and are still unwilling to share information in the best interest of the department... Nigeria MRA Commends NIPC for ‘Initial Steps’ to Comply with FOI Proactive Disclosure Obligation The Nigerian Voice Media Rights Agenda (MRA) today commended the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) for its initial efforts at complying with its proactive disclosure obligations under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act... India No RTI lessons for financial regulators Money Control It is highly unfortunate that those sections of the RTI Act have been amended which ideally should have been applied to other...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 188


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 188	E - Alert	Issue Date: 02-09-2019

India Supreme Court issues notice to Centre, states over online Right to Information portal The Hans India Describing the RTI Act as a powerful tool, advocate Abraham said the true objective of the legislation can be achieved only by timely response to citizens' request... Malta Freedom of Information request for contract rejected The Independent A Freedom of Information request asking for the full copy of the contract between the Ryan Air group and the Maltese government... Sri Lanka Sri Lankan RTI achieves mid-range score, proactive disclosure still lagging Daily FT The Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) is calling for renewed commitment from the State and citizenry to ensure the transformative impact of the Right to Information (RTI) Act... Sudan IPPro Magazine Global Voices The Sudanese Access to Information Act is the first of its kind in Sudan, although Article 39 (1) of the 2005 Sudan Interim Constitution... Pakistan Costs notified to access govt information under RTI law Dawn According to the notification, federal public bodies are to provide free of cost the first 10 pages of information requested under the Act... Nigeria MRA Inducts Customs into ‘Enhanced FOI Hall of Shame accuses it of Confirming Reports of Pervasive Corruption in the Agency The Nigerian Voice It is the second public institution to be inducted into the revamped FOI Hall of Shame after the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)... Pakistan Does RTI law applies on courts? The News International A citizen wrote to the Supreme Court of Pakistan demanding information under Right of Access to Information Act 2017 commonly referred as Right to Information (RTI) law... USA Michigan ranks dead last for transparency Detroit Free Press The Michigan Legislature has tried for years to extend transparency to the state House of Representatives... Philippines The Michigan Legislature has tried for years to extend transparency to the state House of Representatives Rappler Transparency and Freedom of Information (FOI) have figured largely among Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto’s policies early on... USA House requests investigation of Interior political appointees' review of public records The Hill The internal policy, unearthed in a recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) release, allows Interior deputy solicitor Daniel Jorjani... Nigeria INEC pledges Commitment to FOI Law, unveils revised Communication Policy Vanguard The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has unveiled its revised Communication Policy... New York Group Sues NY Campaign Finance Commission Over Freedom of Information Law Compliance Law.com A lawsuit filed Monday against a special commission created by the state Legislature in New York to develop a comprehensive public campaign finance system claimed...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 186


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 186	E - Alert	Issue Date: 01-08-2019

India Five Times Right To Information Act Helped Unearth Major Scams The Logical Indian The Rajya Sabha on July 25 passed the Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019. This bill seeks... Pakistan Community social audit report: 43 water supply schemes dysfunctional in Karak The News International The social audit reports on two southern districts Lakki Marwat and Karak were unveiled in a seminar organized by... USA My freedom of information law saga continues Post Star The new owners of a large portion of the former General Electric Co. dewatering site in Fort Edward held their first public meeting ... Luxembourg City Freedoms of information and the press could outweigh infringement IPPro Magazine The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) has ruled freedom of information and the press cannot justify the infringement... Ghana Coalition on the RTI, Ghana, honours stakeholders Business Ghana The Coalition on the Right to Information, Ghana (RTI Coalition), has presented citations of honour to former Steering Committee members... Scotland Scottish Government departments failing on freedom of information The Ferret The efforts of departments in the Scottish Government to improve their freedom of information performance... Bangladesh Govt officials’ restrictive mindset hindering people’s right to information: experts The Daily Star While the Right to Information (RTI) Act is a powerful tool for people’s empowerment, some inherent flaws and restrictive mindset of a section of public servants stand as barriers... Russia Russian journalist Mikhail Romanov found guilty of ‘abuse of freedom of information’ and ‘false’ news Committee to Protect Journalists It was the first time the authorities have charged a journalist under the provision in the administrative code that pertains to “false” information... Malta Neville Gafa contract disclosure through Freedom of Information Act request refused Independent.mt The request was originally made on 2 July, following over seven months of unanswered questions and stonewalling by the government... Pakistan FBR directed to provide information under Right of Access to Information Act 2017 The News International The FBR was requested to provide certified information under Right of Access to Information Act 2017 about total vacancies in the revenue board... India Madhya Pradesh: Officials face Rs 2.5 lakh fine for not giving information under RTI India Today Narendra Kumar Pandey, Public Information Officer of the civic body, did not give information in the stipulated 30 days or took any other decision on the applications...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 185


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 185	E - Alert	Issue Date: 23-07-2019

Ghana I'm against Right to Information Law - Kennedy Agyapong Ghana Web Anti-corruption campaigner and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin... Ireland Up to 37000 freedom of information requests made in 2018 Irish Times Nearly 37,000 freedom of information requests were made to public bodies last year, an 8.5 per cent increase on the previous year... Pakistan RIC commissioner appointed Dawn The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on appointed journalist Riaz Khan Daudzai as commissioner of Right to ... Australia Access to Information Australian Office of Financial Management We make a range of information available for public access on our website. You can formally request access to information... Scotland Hunterston dredging plan uncovered by freedom of information request Largs and Millport PLANS to dredge a huge area of the seabed at Hunterston as part of an oil rig decommissioning yard project has been ... Bangladesh A healthy right-to-information regime is in everyone's best interest Daily Star School supplies siphoned off by a contractor. Ghost workers created to claim benefits... India Defence Ministry spent ₹7.85 crore on legal fee The Hindu While the debate continues over taxing disability pension for military personnel and assurances by Defence Minister... Kenya Enlighten Kenyans on their right to access information Business Daily Article 35 of the Kenyan Constitution reaffirms the right of the public to access information from government and private entities... South Africa EPA's Rule Changes Would Undermine Freedom of Information Act The Media Institute Participated in a letter (with the Reporters Committee and other news media organizations) sent to the Environmental Protection Agency...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 184


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 184	E - Alert	Issue Date: 01-07-2019

Sri Lanka The government is attempting to limit access to information The Kathmandu Post At a time when the government is facing widespread criticisms for attempting to curtail freedom of expression and the free press, and generally attempting to push through regulations and... Ghana CCB Denies Freedom of Information On Asset Declarations By Presidents, Others On Ground Of Modern Ghana (press release) (blog) The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has denied a Freedom of Information request demanding specific details of asset declarations submitted to it by successive presidents and state... Pakistan Paris Peace Forum chooses KP to asses RTI implementation The News International The Paris Peace Forum has chosen Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s project, from among the provinces and the country, to assess the implementation and evolution of the Right to Information Act ... Philippine CHR says access to information a basic right; reminds congress of role in approval of franchise Manila Bulletin The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has asserted that public’s access to timely and relevant information is a basic right that empowers the people to make sound decisions... Gambia CSO Coalition on Freedom of Information meets Justice Minister Freedom Newspaper The Gambian Civil Society Coalition on Freedom of Information on Monday June 24, handed over a draft Freedom of Information Bill 2019 to the Honourable Attorney General ... UK Tip: Freedom of Information requests 101 Journalism.co.uk Everybody has access to this public data, but knowing how to ask is a different story - here is how to find the statistics you need for your next article... India RTI reply on Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa's dissent note could endanger life: ECI India Today The RTI filed by India Today Group was on Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa's dissent over the ECI clean chits to four speeches of PM Modi and one of Amit Shah... Myanamar Ministry cuts off internet access in Rakhine, Chin Eleven Myanmar Due to a threat to the peace, stability, security and rule of law, the ministry has cut off internet access in Rakhine and Chin States, said Soe Thein, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communications on June 22...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 183


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 183	E - Alert	Issue Date: 18-06-2019

Pakistan KP academics being ignored The Express Tribune The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information (KP RTI) Act of 2013 was passed with the objective to ensure the citizens had access... Scotland Lib Dems challenge Scottish Goverment over FOI legislation The Scotsman A submission has been made to the Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee which is currently examining the Freedom of Information... Ireland Department told to release details of jet use by Higgins, McAleese Irish Times Information about the use of the government jet by President Michael D. Higgins and his predecessor Mary McAleese should be released... Jammu & Kashmir Implement RTI Act in letter and spirit: RTI Movement to interim J&K Bank chairman Kashmir Reader The Jammu & Kashmir Right to Information Movement (RTIM) appealed to interim chairman of J&K Bank, R K Chibber to implement Right to Information... India Agenda for next government: Protecting right to information India Today The significance of access to information about the government's functioning can't be over-emphasized... Bangladesh Our right to easy access to information The Daily Star Information is prerequisite for humans to perform several activities. It is recognised that knowing and circulating information is very vital for ensuring transparency... Sierra Leone RAIC boss shares Sierra Leone's PDI experience at OGP global summit The Patriotic Vanguard The Chairman and Information Commissioner of the Right to Access Information Commission, Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw has said that one of the biggest challenges... Philippines Freedom of Information: Our Battle for Democracy Manila Bulletin There was an old saying, information is power. Anyone who has it rules over everyone. One becomes invincible if he/she...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 182


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 182	E - Alert	Issue Date: 16-05-2019

Namibia Namibian media not free enough – editors Namibian Editors and experts in the media sector yesterday said despite Namibia's good rankings on media freedom, more needs to be done... Bangladesh Two workshops on RTI held The Daily Star Two workshops on right to information (RTI) were held at deputy commissioner’s office in Sylhet yesterday... Jammu & Kashmir Data shows departments miserly in revealing info under RTI Act Greater Kashmir With 224 appeals and 29 complaints a year, the Right to Information Act in Kashmir is not getting the priority it merits in the government departments... Pakistan As RTI commission is dysfunctional, complainants move court The News International In February this year, Aftab Alam, dispatched Right to Information requests to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and three of its subordinate departments... Scotland FOI brings transparency and honesty Law Society of Scotland The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 has led to a major improvement in government transparency and has set strong standards... Australia RTI application fees and charges Department of Justice and Attorney-General You will need to pay an application fee of $49.70 when you apply for information under the Right to Information Act 2009... Sri Lanka RTI activism in Sri Lanka and India: Can India continue to be an example in future? The Daily Mirror The decomposed body of a 32-year old RTI activist who went missing in January was found in Pune, a city in the Indian State of Maharashtra early February...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 181


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 181	E - Alert	Issue Date: 02-05-2019

California California is fighting over the future of freedom of information laws Fast Company Many people argue that public records laws are essential to democracy. Others say they’re being used by corporate interests to stifle important research... Namibia Is Government Committed to Transparency? Namibian President Hage Geingob really wants a government as transparent as a glass that is not tinted. On a personal level, Geingob loves a debate... Jamaica Ja ranked highest in the C'bean on respect for freedom of information Jamaica Observer The Paris-based Reporters without Borders (RFS) named Jamaica as the highest Caribbean country that most respect freedom of information... Canada How the freedom of information system often results in secrecy instead of transparency Toronto Star The freedom of information (FOI) system is meant to benefit all of us, the public. It’s supposed to be there so we can know what data our government... United Arab Emirates AI journalism promises a revolution in freedom of information, and a free flow of information Gulf Today How does Artificial Intelligence Journalism assure freedom of information? One of the key pillars on... India Provision in RTI Act allowing transfer of application to 'appropriate' department gives authorities First Stop One of the foundations of accountability for our democracy is the Right to Information Act (RTI) of 2005. It can be hailed as a revolutionary... Germany Germany: Personal Data: Comprehensive Right To Information Of The Employee Mondaq News Alerts The Regional Labor Court (LAG) of Baden-Württemberg, in its ruling of December 20, 2018 granted an employee...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 180


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 180	E - Alert	Issue Date: 16-04-2019

South Carolina After suit accused USC of violating open records law, the university agrees to change Greenville News The University of South Carolina has agreed to fix how it responds to public records requests, court documents show... Pakistan Extension of right to information law to Malakand sought Dawn News The members of civil society and local journalists demanded the provincial government to direct the administration of Malakand division to provide information... Namibia 'ECN only scratching surface on voter education' Namibian Media ombudsman John Nakuta criticized the Electoral Commission of Namibia for only doing the “bare minimum” when it comes to voter education... India Delhi HC seeks reply from Centre, COAS over plea seeking de-classfying Sambha spy scandal documents Business Standard The Delhi High Court on Friday issued a notice to the Centre and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) over a petition seeking to de-classify all official documents relating... Sri Lanka Sri Lanka’s Northern Province journalists win awards for using RTI for reporting Daily FT The Delhi High Court on Friday issued a notice to the Centre and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) over a petition seeking to de-classify all official documents relating... Bangladesh Use of RTI in Bangladesh The Daily Star International observers who follow global trends on the progress of transparency and accountability instruments, such as Right to Information (RTI) or Freedom of Information (FOI), which have... Canada 'Seduction of secrecy': Will anyone fix Alberta's freedom of information system? Edmonton Journal David Khan, leader of the Alberta Liberal Party, had heard the stories about the issue — how paramedics in some cases were waiting more than an hour to hand a patient...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 179


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 179	E - Alert	Issue Date: 01-04-2019

Ireland Make Freedom of Information Act a priority, think tank tells govt Free Malaysia Today The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) today presented several suggestions on combatting corruption, one of which is FOI... South Africa City to educate public on Promotion of Access to Information Act Independent Online The City of Cape Town will be hosting an information sharing event to raise awareness of the Promotion of Access to Information Act... Morocco El Othmani: Morocco’s New Law on Access to Information Will Succeed Morocco World News The Moroccan Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani has promised to ensure equal access to information... Ghana Reconsider the decision to mine in Atiwa Forest – CSOs to government Ghana Business News According to the CSOs it poses a threat to the Atiwa Forest and, therefore, is not in the national interest... Nigeria Delta Assembly passes Freedom of Information Bill Daily Sun FOI Act will soon be domesticated in Delta State, following the passage of the state Freedom of Information Bill during plenary... Philippine Secret loan terms fan 'debt trap' fears Philippine Star President Duterte should order full disclosure to allay fears that the huge Chinese loans he had contracted to finance... USA State budget measure would limit access to mugshots, but not arrest reports Buffalo News State lawmakers have revised plans to limit public disclosure of arrest booking information, following an outcry from freedom of information advocates... Pakistan CPDI stressed effective legislation on RTI law in Balochistan The Balochistan Point CPDI has urged the Balochistan government to make amendments in RTI act, 2005 in the light of international best practices... India Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde claims credit for EMRs at station, RTI says otherwise DNA India A 10-year-old HC order to set up EMRs across railway stations has started a war of credit in Thane region...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 178


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 178	E - Alert	Issue Date: 18-03-2019

Ireland Families of murder victims have a legal right to information about the case The Journal The Victims of Crime Bill 2015 legally obliges and the Director of Public Prosecutions to keep victims informed... Israel ‘DON’T VOTE FOR PARTIES THAT DO NOT OPERATE TRANSPARENTLY’ The Jerusalem Post Election season is upon us. This is a time when the public focuses on the candidates, the campaigns and the new... Pakistan Access to information body unable to appoint staff, carry out functions Dawn The Commission on Access to Information remains non-functional four months after it was notified in the absence of funding... Scotland Holyrood asks how well freedom of information law is working Scottish Legal News A Holyrood committee is seeking views on the operation of Scotland’s freedom of information legislation... USA Sunshine Week spotlights freedom of information The Times Telegram March 10 through March 16 is Sunshine Week, an annual initiative organized by the American Society of News Editors to promote dialogue about... France Government transparency vital for Lamar County residents Paris News Of all the things we think of as our fundamental American rights — life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness — as well as things like freedom of speech... Sri Lanka RTI Unearths 230 Complaints against Quack ‘Islamic’ Judges Colombo Telegraph The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has released data under the Right to Information Act indicating that an enormous number of 230 complaints have been filed... India How the RBI Dodged RTI Appeals for Minutes of Meeting on Demonetisation The Wire After two years of stubborn refusal to part with any details regarding the minutes of its board meeting on demonetisation, the RBI has demonstrated its sheer disdain for the RTI Act...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 177


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 177	E - Alert	Issue Date: 28-02-2019

Pakistan Sindh Information Commission starts working next month The News International The Sindh Information Commission will finally start functioning under the Sindh Transparency and... Morocco UNESCO Agree to Cooperate on Right to Access to Information Morocco World News Director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization... Colombia More than half of Colombia's media reliant on state propaganda funds Colombia Reports Colombia’s media is overly reliant on shady contracts to publish or create government propaganda... Ghana Latest amendment to RTI Bill problematic – Coalition Charleston Post Courier The Coalition on the Right to Information (RTI) Ghana, the Media Coalition on RTI and Occupy Ghana; collectively known... Sri Lanka Right to Information Groundviews In 2017, Groundviews filed a series of RTI requests to ascertain more about Sri Lanka’s early warning system... Kenya Access to public information an uphill struggle in Kenya despite law Business Daily A recent legal tussle between lawyer Apollo Mboya and utility firm, Kenya Power over inaccurate customer billing perhaps underlined the deep... India Apex court opposes amendment to RTI The Hans India RTI Act is the best enactment, but it is not giving best results in securing the access to public records...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 176


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 176	E - Alert	Issue Date: 04-02-2019

Pakistan Dir officers asked to resolve people's issues Dawn The Lower Dir deputy commissioner on Tuesday directed all officers in the district to resolve public grievances... Brazil Brazil changes freedom of information act ZDNe Brazil's freedom of information law has seen significant changes with a new decree signed by interim president... India Why no experts on RTI panels, asks Supreme Court The Hindu The Supreme Court asked why Right to Information bodies, especially the apex forum of Central Information Commission... Pakistan RTI’s complaints commission itself in complainant mode The News It has neither been allocated the staff required to start work nor given the proper office whereas the information commissioners... UK Devon and Cornwall Police under investigation over Freedom of Information requests Devon Live Devon and Cornwall Police is under investigation after failing to deal with more than 100 FOI requests... Pakistan Info Commission in vain as govt delays service rules Pakistan Today PIC to suffer from shortage of staff till govt approves proposed service rules... Ghana RTI And Two Other Bills To Be Prioritized As Parliament Resumes Sitting Modern Ghana Before going for that festive break, the speaker of Parliament Professor assured that the RTI bill will...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 175


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 175	E - Alert	Issue Date: 21-01-2019

Afghanistan Access to information to help curb corruption: Danish Pajhwok Afghan News Vice-president Sarwar Danish on Sunday introduced new members to the Oversight Commission on Access to Information... USA New Interior FOIA rule could make it harder to get public documents The Hill Interior Department rule could make it harder for news organizations and nonprofits to get public information from the government... Pakistan WSSP launches website to bolster digital presence The News International The Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) has launched own website to bolster digital presence... Scotland MSPs to review Scotland's Freedom of Information laws Holyrood The Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit and Post-Legislative Scrutiny Committee has agreed to examine the FOI Act 2002... Australia Complaints about under resourced FOI system spike by 72% in a single year The Guardian Complaints about Australia’s FOI system spiked by 72% in a single year, heaping further pressure on regulator... France Texans deserve access to info Paris News Police Department officer’s pursuit of a driver who sped off after the officer signaled him to stop ended when the driver crashed into some trees... Canada With election ahead, we need to make public records truly public The Conversation Citizens require access to public records in order to become properly informed about the activities of their government... India PM Modi fails to use MPLAD funds on villages adopted by him National Herald Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced early last year with much fanfare that he had adopted a fourth village in his Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency for... UK EU adviser sides with Google on 'right to be forgotten' dispute The Telegraph An advisor to the European Court of Justice has sided with Google in a dispute over the “right to be forgotten” rule.... Bangladesh Use of RTI in Bangladesh The Dailystar One way of observing the progress of the law in any country is to assess existing trends and the nature of its use...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter - 173


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 173	E - Alert	Issue Date: 17-12-2019

Pakistan Plea for PSL expenditure disposed of The News International The Lahore High Court on Friday disposed of a petition seeking details of expenditures incurred on Pakistan Super League (PSL)… US HRC Sends Expanded FOIA Request to ICE & CBP for Records of Treatment of Trans Detainees Human Rights Campaign (blog) HRC sent expanded Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP)… Sri Lanka RTI Commission orders release of Ranil Wickremesinghe's asset declaration, law does not include President's Colombo Page Right to Information Commission has directed the Presidential Secretariat to disclose the declaration of assets and liabilities of Ranil Wickremesinghe… India Right to know: Now just drop into a govt. office to access information The Hindu Citizens seeking data from the government under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, can now simply land up at the concerned… Ghana I will suspend my suspension of demo - Baako readies for RTI fight Ghana Web The law-making body of Ghana is yet to see what pressure is, if they fail to pass the Right to Information bill before they rise as promised… Pakistan Federal ministries yet to proactively disclose information The News International A study recently released by a civil society organization revealed that majority of the federal ministries and institutions have failed to proactively disclose information… Germany Heiko Maas: 'Freedom of expression is essential to democracy' D.W The right to freedom of expression and information is essential for a free and democratic state…. Pakistan KP CM announces to increase job quota for special persons to 4 per cent The News International Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan Monday announced to increase job quota for special persons from 2 per cent to 4 per cent besides … Ghana FLASHBACK: RTI bill will be passed in 100 days - Bawumia Pulse.com.gh It's 600 days of the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Right to Information Bill (RTI) has not been passed…
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter - 174


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 174	E - Alert	Issue Date: 02-01-2019

Ghana ADI Demands Halt And Reflection Over RTI Bill Ghana Web The plans by parliament to pass the Right To Information (RTI) bill is likely to... India Lokpal Selection Committee Did Not Meet Even Once In Nearly 4 Years NewsClic The BJP government is blatantly attacking the institutions of accountability and transparency... Jamaica Measures Being Undertaken To Improve Access To Information Jamaica Observer The Access to Information (ATI) Unit will be undertaking some critical initiatives aimed at improving service delivery... Pakistan Pakistan Improves Position In Global RTI Rating The Nation Pakistan improves its position in international Right To Information rating from 91 to 33... Australia Secret Documents Reveal Toxic Threat beneath Sydney Airport The Sydney Morning Herald A pool of poisonous water underneath Sydney Airport contains some of the highest levels of toxic firefighting chemicals... Nigeria Imo to Adopt Freedom Of Information Act- Irona The Nigerian Voice Former member of the House of Representatives and Deputy Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party... Vietnam Law Ensures Citizens' Right to Information Access Veitnam + The Ministry of Justice and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) co-held a seminar in Hanoi on December 2... Bangladesh Progress and Regress of RTI in Bangladesh The Daily Star As the Right to Information (RTI) regime nears completion of its first decade of existence, we asked a few scholars, advocates and users of...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter - 172


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 172	E - Alert	Issue Date: 04-12-2018

Ghana RTI coalition member released after arrest in Parliament Ghana Web A leading member of the Right to Information coalition, Elvis Darko has been released after over an hour of being held by police for displaying a placard close to Parliament during the reading of the 2019 budget... USA Trump Jr's Business Trip to India Cost US Taxpayers Nearly $100000: Report News18 Washington: A business trip by Donald J Trump Jr, the son of the US president... Pakistan Story behind the story The News As I watched on TV the duel between the US President Donald Trump and CNN journalist... India Most Central Government Department Websites Lack Self Disclosure: Audit NDTV Most of the central government department websites lack in self disclosure of public information under a mandatory provision of the Right to Information (RTI) Act... Jamoo & Kashmir SAC approves J&K Right to Information (Amendment) Bill-2018 The Kashmir Images Newspaper The State Administrative Council (SAC) which met here today approved enactment of the ‘Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2018... Pakistan Punjab cabinet approves various drafts, laws ahead of govt's 100 days Dawn The Punjab cabinet on Friday took up a heavy agenda approving various legislative businesses on the recommendations of the cabinet’s standing committee on legislation... Pakistan PPP, PML- N govts covered up funds misuse: Fawad Chaudhry Express Tribune Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Monday there was corruption of billions of rupees... Pakistan Call to ensure right to information Dawn Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Chaudhry said that if departments failed to provide information sought from them under the law, citizens can approach the commission... Pakistan Role of media, civil society highlighted for good governance Dawn Good governance, transparency and pro-public administration in the government departments can be achieved only through the proactive role of media and civil society... Russia Russia to raise issue of journalists' access to info at OSCE ministerial meeting — Lavrov TASS At the upcoming meeting of foreign ministers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Russia will suggest confirming the right... India RTI is used maximum by government employees as they know governance better than the common man MoneyLife Earlier this month, Prof Dr M Sridhar Acharayalu retired as Central Information Commissioner. Prof Acharayalu made waves by issuing a show-cause notice... Sri Lanka People still unaware of right to info The Himalayan Times Information Commissioner and Spokesperson for National Information Commission Yesodha Devi Timsina today said many people in the country were still not aware of their right to information....
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter - 171


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 171	E - Alert	Issue Date: 30-11-2018

Armenia Armenia drops one notch in Press Freedom Index 2018 Arka News Agency Armenia has dropped one position in the Press Freedom Index 2018 compiled annually by the reporters... Ghana Ghanaian Parliament and Right To Information Bill Modern Ghana All persons shall have the right to information, subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary in a democratic... Jammu & Kashmir Information Commission itself flouting provisions of RTI Act Daily Excelsior State Information Commission, a transparency watchdog, has failed to provide requisite information... France International Declaration on Information and Democracy Rappler Seventy years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in Paris, the "International Declaration on Information and Democracy,”... India Rs 5L reward for info on RTI man's murder Mumbai Mirror Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for information about the February 24, 2012 murder of a Right to Information (RTI)... India RBI refuses to state how much destruction of banned notes cost: RTI Moneycontrol.com The RBI has declined to reveal the cost incurred on shredding banned currency notes worth Rs 15,31,073 crore... Pakistan Federal Information Commission notified Daily Times Federal government has finally notified the Federal Information Commission to ensure access to information by the public at large... Paris Call to ensure right to information Rappler In a historic step in the context of the Paris Peace Forum today, 12 countries launched a political process... Ghana RTI Bill will be passed before close of 2018 Ghana Web Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Mike has given the strongest indication yet that parliament will pass the RTI Bill by close of 2018... Palestine In Cooperation with the European Union, MADA launches the “Right of Access to Information Palestine News Network The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms “MADA” has launched a media campaign...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-170


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 170	E - Alert	Issue Date: 01-11-2018

Pakistan PIC fails to update list of govt depts.' information officers Pakistan Today By the end of this calendar year, we can expect to see members of the Queensland Parliament debating the introduction of the Mineral and Energy Resources... Maldives Finance ministry admits breach of right to information law Maldives Independent (press release) The finance ministry has admitted to breaking the law over a right to information request filed by the Maldives Independent about a US$40 million loan…… India Himachal RTI Activist's Murder – a Landmark Case in the Fight for Social Equality? The Wire It has been a little more than a month since the small hill state of Himachal Pradesh was stunned by the brutal murder of Right to Information activist… Pakistan Sindh govt. fails to implement Right to Information law Pakistan Today There has been no progress in the implementation of “The Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2017” even though a year has passed… USA "Right to Know" act goes in to effect in NYC PIX 11 New York Under the “Right to Know” act, officers will hand out business cards with information including their name, rank, command and shield number…. Pakistan Petition seeks details of litigation expense in Dr Aafia case Dawn The petition maintained that the preamble of the Right of Access to Information Act clearly stated that the ”government believes in transparency and the… India Mumbai: Over 18400 people died between 2013 -18 in train mishaps Times Now Mumbai: A Right to Information plea has found that 18,423 people died and 18,847 people were injured in suburban train-related mishaps between… Pakistan Call to ensure right to information The Nation LAHORE - Speakers at the Hameed Nizami Press Institute of Pakistan (HNPIP) seminar on ‘Access to Information for Responsible Governance….
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-169


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 169	E - Alert	Issue Date: 15-10-2018

Jordan People's right to know motivates Gov't to improve legislation on access to information AMMONNEWS Minister of State for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson, Jumana Ghneimat, said... India Explore use of advanced technology in giving info under RTI: SC Times of India The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to explore the use of advanced technology for providing information…… UK Right to Information a Mixed Success in the Asia-Pacific Region IDN In Depth News Freedom of information is not only a human right, but also an essential tool to engage and empower citizens… Pakistan If PTI believes in democracy, asset declaration of public servants should be public knowledge The Express Tribune (blog) If PTI believes in democracy, asset declaration of public servants should be public knowledge… Gambia International Right to Information Day September 28, 2018 The Point The collection of key government facts and data from which conclusion may be drawn is a powerful tool…. New Zealand NZ customs officers now have the power to demand passwords to digital devices The Star Online When you think of countries with aggressive border security, the bucolic land which provided the… USA EPA excluded its own top science officials when it rewrote rules on using scientific studies Washington Post When former EPA administrator Scott Pruitt launched an effort to limit what kinds of scientific studies could be used to protect public health……. India SC makes it mandatory for builders to display sanction plan at project site The Tribune Noting that homebuyers have a right to know about details of the project they are investing it…. Bangladesh President approves Digital Security Act The Daily Star President Abdul Hamid yesterday signed the Digital Security Bill into law amid widespread criticism………….. Nigeria Media Rights Agenda Inducts Office of National Security Adviser Into 'FOI Hall of Shame' The Nigerian Voice Media Rights Agenda (MRA) today named the Office of the National Security Adviser….. India 'Save RTI, Save Democracy': Hundreds Protest Attempts to Dilute the Law The Wire New Delhi: On the eve of the 13th anniversary of the passage of the Right to Information Act 2005, a protest and public meeting……… Pakistan Right to Information Act will be introduced for general public: Information Minister Radio Pakistan Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain has said that the country is moving towards right direction……
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-168


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 168	E - Alert	Issue Date: 02-10-2018

Pakistan Right to Information Day: Experts demand more transparency. The News Right to Information Day (RTID) is marked annually across the world on September 28. This year’s theme is ‘Trust and Transparency’ that indicates a shift.. India LIT makes a mockery of RTI Act, no annual report for past four years The Tribune Indifferent attitude of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) towards implementation and monitoring of the Right to Information Act 2005.. Jordan People's right to know motivates Gov't to improve legislation on access to information Ammon Minister of State for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson, Jumana Ghneimat, said the government believes in the people's right to know.. Ghana Right To Information Comes With Responsibilities BBC Media experts, at a panel discussion in Accra, have called on the Government to be proactive and finalise debates and reviews for the passage Pakistan Operationalisation of RTI laws still a far cry The News The Coalition on Right to Information conferred RTI Champions Awards 2018 on Riaz Khan Daudzai and Zohaib Hassan in the Journalist and Citizen and Best Performing PIO… Canada Canada slips to 55th place in global freedom-of-information law rankings CTV News Canada has slipped six places to 55th spot on an annual list of global freedom-of-information rankings, and is now tied with Bulgaria and Uruguay. Pakistan Govt fails to provide people's access to information: study Express Tribune The government has failed in dispensing citizens with their right to access of information which is leading.. Australia Right to Know Day: information commissioner addresses federal FOI officers The Mandarin Access to information through the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) supports transparent and accountable government…
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-167


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 167	E - Alert	Issue Date: 19-09-2018

India A 65 LS member, 29 RS members yet to declare assets, reveals RTI India TV Out of the MPs belonging to the lower house, 61 have not furnished their details since 2014, while four recently came to the house through by-elections.. Pakistan Over Rs1 billion spent on KP Ehtesab commission in four years DAWN Details obtained under the KP Right to Information Act, 2013 show that provincial finance department released Rs1.056 billion to KPEC till May 2018.. England Home Office takes years to answer information requests BBC There have been 192 freedom of information cases which the Home Office has taken longer than a year to answer in the past three years Bangladesh Of political parties, general elections and RTI in Bangladesh Daily Star RTI law allows citizens to seek information from government and public bodies on matters relating to their functions… US US rejects request for information on Idaho wolf attacks IDAHO STATE JOURNAL Investigations into livestock deaths in Idaho blamed on wolves don't have to be made public, the U.S. government says.. India An RTI salute to Kuldip Nayar National Herald His contribution to the RTI movement is perhaps the lesser known of his many contributions as a journalist.... Pakistan Government to appoint an information commission soon: Barrister Wahab Murtaza Daily Times Government of Sindh was soon going to form an Information Commission in order to ensure that every citizen had the right to information. Srilanka RTI law allows citizens to seek information from government and public bodies on matters relating to their functions. Daily Mirror This is not what we assumed. These private institutions had not even appointed an RTI officer…
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-166


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 166	E - Alert	Issue Date: 28-08-2018

Nepal RTI Footprints in South Asia: Tapping its potential for public causes Newspaper Majority of around 115 countries worldwide which have adopted the law so far have done so in little.. Pakistan Parliament pledges promises to Pakistan The News The oath-taking ceremony administered by the outgoing Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also marked the start of the parliamentary process.. Malaysia Govt to formulate Freedom of Information Act: Liew The Sun Daily The government will formulate the Freedom of Information Act so as to be in line with the promise made.. Jamaica Access To Information Vs Official Secrets The Cleaner The public's right to access information concerning the activities of the government and its agents is an indelible feature of a vibrant democracy….. India CIC divided over bringing political parties under RTI The Economic Times The issue of bringing political parties under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act is threatening to spiral.. USA Freedom of Information Commission New Cannanite The town of New Canaan violated state sunshine laws by failing to notice or open to the public.. India Varsity’s RTI cell seeks attestation of docus for query, student cries foul The Times of India The issue came into focus when a student applied to the university under Right to Information Act 2005 with self attested documents, but was told….
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-165


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 165	E - Alert	Issue Date: 16-08-2018

Pakistan Quick, transparent reforms for tribal districts Express Tribune K-P Chief Information Commissioner Hanif Orakzai shared his plan to extend the provincial right to information (RTI) law to the Malakand division Bermuda 47% Of 136 PATI Requests Granted Last Year Bernews This is according to the Information Commissioner’s Office Annual Report 2017 on the operation of the Public Access to Information [PATI], which has been tabled in both Houses of Parliament and is now available to the public.. Ghana THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION BILL: HISTORY MUST NOT REPEAT ITSELF- Coalition on RTI GBC The Coalition on the Right to Information, Ghana wishes to express their disappointment at the slow pace at which Parliament has handled the consideration stage of the Bill so far and hopes.. India " 65% of Delhi government schools are headless The Times of India Asked about the huge number of vacant principal posts AAP leader said that the recruitment was a matter of services….. Pakistan Govt depts disregard eRTI system DAWN The electronic application system introduced by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Commission in Peshawar has failed to deliver the goods due to the lack of interest.. India Changes in RTI Act's privacy clause will allow corrupt babus to escape public scrutiny: IC Business Standards We need to emphasize that any proposal to amend provisions of the RTI Act shall not be taken up without wide ranging consultation.. Nepal Law ministry sends back draft bills to ministries The Himalayan Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs has sent back draft bills related to Fundamental Right and Duties of the constitution to the ministries concerned.. India India Takes First Step Towards Data Protection Light Reading Broadly, the bill incorporates many accepted principles to guarantee privacy for citizens. It indicates that a notification must be sent to individuals before data can be..
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-164


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 164	E - Alert	Issue Date: 18-07-2018

India RTI activist, friend shot dead in Bihar Indileak A Right to Information (RTI) activist and his friend were shot dead on Sunday by unidentified assailants in Bihar’s Jamu district, police said. Pakistan CPJ calls on Pakistan's PM to protect press freedom ahead of elections CJP Journalist Gul Bukhari was abducted, Asad Kharal was attacked, a break-in robbery took place at.. Nevis Freedom of Information Bill Passes In Nevis Winfm The Nevis Freedom of Information Bill, 2018, which was presented by Hon. Eric Evelyn, Minister of Information and Information Services, was passed unanimously.. UK How Well Do Local Officials Respond To FOI Requests? The Economic Times Overall, local agencies did a good job at providing public records. But there is some bad news. Ghana Yendi: Forum On The Right To Information Bill Held Modern Ghana The effort was to create the needed awareness to ensure that effort being made to pass the bill was expedited. Pakistan Mechanism devised to assess RTI execution in Pakistan The News The first ever methodology has been developed to assess and evaluate the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) law in the country.. India RTI applicant declared ‘ineligible’, threatened with criminal action DNA The letter dated June 4, 2018, which came to light recently informs Irfan Janwekar, the RTI applicant, that he has been declared apatra Georgia Three priorities at the open government partnership summit Transparency International Politicians understand the meaning of corruption, but do they understand the meaning of commitment? We have to work together to go beyond words.. Bangladesh Gov't wants to restrict right to information beyond EU rules The Daily Star Nine years ago this month, the RTI Act 2009 of Bangladesh was born. It came at a time when the entire nation
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-163


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 163	E - Alert	Issue Date: 29-06-2018

Kenya Right to information from the State key in the war on graft Daily Nation The order makes it possible for citizens to access information on tenders, who was awarded the tenders, identity.. Scotland Scottish Government takes longer to reply to Freedom of Information requests from journalists Press Gazette The Commissioner found: “It is an important principle of FOI law that, in most cases, it should not matter who asks for information.. Namibia Free press key to democracy New Era Freedom of expression is important for democracy, because it enables the public to participate in making decisions based on the free flow of information Malawi Malawi: MHRC Gives Govt Up to July to Operationalise Access to Information Law Nayasa Times The ATI law compliments a right that is guaranteed to Malawians under the constitution so it is a very critical piece of legislation.. India DoPT Refuses To Disclose Details on RTI Amendments... Live Law In response to an RTI application, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has confirmed that amendments to the Right to Information Act, 2005... Ghana We need to have the RTI Bill Passed – CHRAJ Director Politics The passage of the bill into law he said will be a means to strengthen the country’s fight against corruption.. Pakistan Civil justice: Pakistan listed at 107 among 113 countries The News International The factor measuring civil justice assesses whether ordinary people can resolve their grievances peacefully and effectively.. Malaysia Malaysia remains committed to fair trade: Guan Eng The Strait News Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said it was only through the aforementioned values that the government can ensure a stable environment for trade and e-commerce to thrive.. Pakistan Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Develops Over 180 Official Websites Urdu Point Total number of hits on School department is 400,151,495, Punjab Portal has 385,526,577, Punjab Examination Commission has 377,935,674…
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-162


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 162	E - Alert	Issue Date: 14-06-2018

Pakistan Malik Azam to be first Chief Information Commissioner The Nation Office of the Commission will be established in Islamabad and it will start working after issuing of formal notification. Through Right to Information Commission.. India India's government has decided against amending the Right To Information Act Business Insider India The central government has reportedly suspended plans to amend the act, after its proposed changes were met with a heavy backlash Ireland SAM: THE GOVERNMENT DOESN’T TAKE THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT SERIOUSLY Dublin Inquirer The department’s responses to that request over the months that followed led me to suspect that the government does not take that law seriously.. India “RTI is a non-violent way of change” Daily Mirror Without information we humans, the most advanced species on Earth, would be handicapped. Information is everywhere… Pakistan Right of access to information is prerogative of everybody: Ali Zafar Business Recorder Right of access to information was the prerogative of every citizen and the government was bound to provide information in all matters of public importance… India Deliberately wrong RTI replies attract penalty, disciplinary action: Former CIC Indian Express Any Information Officer who willfully provides wrong or misleading information under the Right to Information (RTI).. Pakistan Ineffective RTI Law of Balochistan Balochistan Voices As per a Centre for Peace and Development Initiative (CPDI) survey the most robust RTI regime existed in Punjab, followed by Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.. Ghana RTI Action Campaign kicks against portions of Bill Ghana News Agency “That is why any good RTI law emphasises the principle of maximum and proactive disclosure. However, it is recognised that in certain circumstances.. Pakistan Call for effective implementation of law on right to information Dawn The civil society activists on Thursday called for the effective implementation of the law on right to information to achieve..
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-161


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 161	E - Alert	Issue Date: 31-05-2018

Pakistan Marriyum urges media outlets for self-accountability The News Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb has urged media outlets to do self-introspection and accountability.. India Whistleblowers act needed to protect RTI users: Activist Aruna Roy Indian Express RTI has brought in an architecture where "we are enabled to change from a culture of secrecy to one of transparency".. U.S.A Texans' right to information is being infringed; be outraged at government, demand change Caller Times This isn't just a right of news media to information for news stories. It's is a right of any Texan to find out how tax money is being spent.. Ghana Bills, Bills, Bills! Ghana Web The Right to Information Bill has had a journey of stops and starts and in-betweens. Right now? The Bill is on a tour of some regional capitals.. Nigeria Ngeria : Kano, Adamawa To Adopt Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2011. Africa Prime News Kano state government is in the process of adopting the Freedom of Information Act, with a view to empowering the citizens to participate actively in governance India Rti enquiry filed over construction of Indira Awas Yojna The Pioneer World Press Freedom Day is being observed in Bangladesh and elsewhere today amid a growing animosity towards journalists across the globe. Pakistan Right To Information Activists Urge CM To Strengthen Punjab Information Commission Urdu Point RTI activists welcome the CM Punjab's action to appoint Saeed Akhtar Ansari and Mehboob Qadir Shah as information commissioners at Punjab India Place Proposed Amendments To RTI Act In Public Domain For Scrutiny: National Campaign For Peoples’ Right To Information To PM Modi... Live Law “Undermines people’s democratic right to know and participate in the legislative process and prevents public scrutiny of the provisions of a proposed bill”.... Pakistan Federal Information Commission likely to be notified today The News Government has missed a six-month deadline to set up the commission, still the appointment is termed a landmark development.. Nigeria Buhari administration, like Jonathan’s, condoning impunity in implementation of FOI Act Premium Times The scale of non-compliance with the provisions of the FOI Act by public institutions under the authority and direct control of the federal government is mind-boggling”..
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-160


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 160	E - Alert	Issue Date: 15-05-2018

Pakistan PIC conducts awareness session for journalists regarding RTI Daily Times unjab Information Commission (PIC) held an awareness session with journalists in collaboration with the district information office.. India On Right To Information Act, A Word Of Caution From Aruna Roy NDTV Ms Roy asserted that the RTI Act should not be politically associated to a party. It is a law that "should not be tagged".. U.S.A At 51, FOIA may be more relevant than ever The Baltimore Sun The use of FOIA has dramatically increased in the first year of the Trump administration. Requests for government records, including letters, speeches, notes about meetings, appointment calendars, memoranda and emails rose to a record-setting 823,000 in Fiscal Year 2017.. India Over 200 RTI applications to be filed for transparency, democracy The Economic Times To improve democracy and raise the transparency level, over 200 hundred applicants will be filing at least one RTI applications.. Pakistan RTI Act Bringing Transparency To Projects Daily Times In case, any department was not cooperating, people could contact the Punjab Information Commission, said Executive Director Ahmed Naeem Malik.. Bangladesh Press Freedom Day: Attacks against journos made with impunity M&P World Press Freedom Day is being observed in Bangladesh and elsewhere today amid a growing animosity towards journalists across the globe. Brazil Access to information performing well: N.L. justice minister The Western Star There was turnover in staff in the main Access to Information and Privacy Protection (ATIPP) office last year and turnover in some access.. Pakistan Successes and failures of PTI in governing KP The News Its obligatory for the provinces to approve laws and set up organisations to ensure a) Right to Public Services, b) Right to Information Nepal Right to Information Audit: A new practice in Nepal The Himalayan Right to Information is fundamental right granted to the citizens by law and constitution. Centre for Law and Democracy, Canada has.. Pakistan Civil society calls for meeting fourth deadline on open government The Western Star Civil society organisations have jointly urged government to hasten the process of formulating National Action Plan (NAP) for Open Government Partnership (OGP).. Prague Gov't wants to restrict right to information beyond EU rules Prague Daily Monitor The Czech government has proposed a significant restriction on the free access to information under the pretext of the General Data Protection Pakistan State of right to information in Pakistan Express Tribune Right to access information held by public bodies is a key to building a strong state-citizen bond. When violated, it implies there is something which the public bodies
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-159


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 159	E - Alert	Issue Date: 30-04-2018

India Commonwealth: Where being a journalist can kill you The Statesman Commonwealth countries like India have pioneered some of the world’s most liberal Right to Information laws, and all member states are publicly committed to democratic… U.S.A Strengthening freedom of information laws is good idea The Post Star One of the best ways to prevent corruption in government operations is to increase transparency, and two bills now before the state Legislature.. Malaysia Allow public access to info on China investments, Nurul Izzah urges govt The Sun Daily This would enable the people to have knowledge and understand the payment methods and return on investments (ROI) which the nation is undertaking and benefiting.. India Only 4% of the govt departments proactively disclosing information under RTI: Survey The Economic Times An audit was undertaken on the basis of a proforma prepared by former information commissioners M M Ansari and A N Tiwari. Pakistan Protecting the right to information Daily Times The purpose of the introduction of the right to information laws in Pakistan is to make the general public aware of public spending.. Australia Palaszczuk denies vegetation right to information applications Queensland Country Life Queenslanders have a right to know what advice ministers received, who they were meeting with and why they failed.. Pakistan Seminar speakers call for reforms in judicial system The News About 16.6 that stressed the need for effective, accountable and transparent institution, the speakers said the KP Assembly.. Russia "Violating the right to information of millions of people Crime Russia All the affected users and entrepreneurs have the right to stand for their rights and make such claims. It is their constitutional right..
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-158


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 158	E - Alert	Issue Date: 16-04-2018

India Sridevi Received A State Funeral Because Of Maharashtra CM: RTI Activist Anil Galgali Mumbai Live As per RTI, on February 25, 2018 the CM office gave a verbal order regarding the state funeral which was then conveyed to the Mumbai Suburban collector…. Pakistan Geo Blackout Daily Times We feel obligated to raise our voice against reports that cable operators in several areas of the country have taken Geo News.. Pakistan Development and deception Daily Times Empowerment, has come to assimilate power with individual and economic decision-making, de-politicize collective power, and is used to legitimise existing top-down development policies and programs. Canada If public servants have nothing to hide, why the secrecy over gifts? The Canberra Times A transparent public service would publish its gift registers as a matter of course.... Bangladesh A transparent public service would publish its gift registers as a matter of course. Deccan Herald Both cases relate to matters of serious public interest. In the first case, a petitioner approached the PMO two weeks after the demonetisation announcement for .. Pakistan Strength of Punjab Information Commission Lies With the Appointment of Commissioners Business Recorder In case of non provision of requested information, it said, the applicant can lodge complaint in the Punjab Information Commission, where commission is bound to resolve the complaint within 30 to 60 days… U.S.A Transparency in Government Group to meet April 11 in Fort Smith Times Record The Transparency in Government Group of Western Arkansas will meet 5:30 p.m. April 11 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 700 Rogers Ave.. UK Your Right to Know: Policies put public health at risk Winston Watch If passed, it would give effect to the constitutional right of access to any information held by public institutions and private entities which perform public functions with public funds… Pakistan “RTI improves governance, limits corruption” The News on Sunday A key challenge in Sindh and Punjab, as well as federally, is the failure of the authorities to appoint the members of the oversight bodies Ghana Parliament calls for memorandum on right to information bill gbcghana The Right to Information Bill was referred to the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, during the first meeting of the Second .… Pakistan Call to fill vacant posts of information commissioners The Nation These posts were created to provide information to people, but they have been vacant since March 2017. In the absence of information commissioners there are many hurdles in the way of enforcement of the right-to-information law.. Pakistan Govt departments violate rules on proactive disclosure DAWN The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Commission (RTIC) has miserably failed to force the government departments to comply with the relevant law’s provisions on proactive disclosure…
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-157


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 157	E - Alert	Issue Date: 30-03-2018

Pakistan Unsanctioned guards being withdrawn from VIPs, police chief tells court The News “As per the information received from the provincial Police Department through the Right to Information Act, 2013 5,500 policemen are deployed for security of the VIPs instead of protecting the public. USA During Sunshine Week, senators cite issues with FOIA request backlog Federal News Radio In order to improve the FOIA backlog at large agencies like DHS and the departments of State needs to take the lead on this effort.. Ghana Coalition to demonstrate over delayed passage of RTI Bill GBC The Right to Information Coalition is not happy with the repeated broken promises regarding the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill. India Mystery of Lal Bahadur Shastri's death deepens further with RTI reply Times Now After 52 years of the death of former Prime Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri, and Right To Information (RTI) reply addressing the cause of death.. India Knowledge is deadly for Indian activists seeking to expose corruption N World India's RTI Act, passed by parliament in 2005, allows citizens to access information about public projects, funding and governance in a bid to improve transparency and accountability… Ireland Law firm at centre of Panama Papers leak to close down The Irish Times The firm said it had previously had a presence in more than 40 countries, with “more than 600 collaborators around the world.. USA Sunshine Week celebrates your right to access public records and information The Hicksburg Post As journalists, it is our responsibility to shine a light into the darkness of government and make certain the public continues to have access to government.. Pakistan KP Law Dept opposes PTI MPA’s bill to change RTI Act The News The Law Department has voiced reservations over the bill seeking amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013 aimed at.. India India's Right to Information in a mess The Milli Gazette Over the years the pendency of cases under Right to Information (RTI) Act has shown an upward trend with close to.
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-156


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 156	E - Alert	Issue Date: 14-03-2018

Pakistan Civil society reacts to PTI Government’s move to amend KP RTI law The News CRTI strongly opposes the amendments proposed in KP RTI Act 2013. India Disclose bills of Air India charter plane for PM's travel abroad: CIC to MEA Kashmir Monitor CIC R K Mathur rejected the contention of the ministry that details of the amount, reference numbers, dates of bills raised by Indian Air Force and Air India.. Bangladesh Adilur wins Franco-German human rights prize Prothom Alo Odhikar secretary Adilur Rahman Khan has been awarded Franco-German Human Rights Prize-2017 for his contribution to defending and promoting human rights in Bangladesh. Columbia Access to information sheds needed light on government secrets Missourian Sunshine Week this year is March 11-17. The “sunshine” refers to access to government information. Journalists value access, but it’s a right that belongs to everyone Pakistan Amendments in proposed RTI Act 2013 of KPK opposed Business Recorder KP RTI Act is one of the effective and well implemented laws in Pakistan but the PTI led provincial government is bringing back old colonial mindset again.. Canada ‘Demand more’ from government, outgoing information watchdog tells Canadians in parting note I Politics In a parting message posted on her blog Wednesday, Suzanne Legault encouraged Canadians to “demand more” from their government. India Delhi University Tells High Court That It Cannot Disclose Exam Records Of 1978, The Year When PM Modi Graduated Outlook India Delhi High Court that the varsity's BA exam records of all its students of 1978-- the year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had graduated-- is held in a fiduciary capacity and cannot be disclosed.. South Africa Politics faces a shake-up if we get access to who funds parties The Citizen If people know who funds political parties, they will fully understand the agenda of political parties. They will then be able to gain context through which to understand the policy position India J&K: RTI reveals 27 Rohingya families staying illegaly, own sim cards The Asian Age It has been revealed that 27 Rohingya Muslim families, who are illegal immigrants, living in Jammu own SIM cards, activist Rohit Choudhary said..
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-155


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 155	E - Alert	Issue Date: 19-02-2018

Pakistan Encounters: a new way of policing? Express Tribune The level of access to information can be gauged from the fact that an application filed under Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013 (RTI Act) is still pending before the PIC since 2016... Fiji Access to right information important The Fiji Times Online By having access to the right and correct information you can be able to make decisions for yourselves... Sri Lanka Right to Information Commission notes concerns despite positives MENAFN Right to Information Commission has recorded a noteworthy increase in the numbers of appeals being filed before the Commission with information being released... India Using RTI benefits community The Hans India Even today, not many people know about their rights. If any private hospital is set up in rural areas, they must adopt two villages and provide them all kind of health-related services... Bangladesh International civil society organisations pen open letter on Digital Security Act Dhaka Tribune In the letter, the organizations expressed concern that the Bangladesh Digital Security Act2018 fails to protect the right to freely express opinions on policies and the actions of decision makers... Pakistan KP tourism body exploits economization, saving policy of govt The News Under the Law of Access to Information 2013, according to the details provided by TCKP, Tourism secretary Muhammad Tariq Khan paid visit to England, Spain... Ghana After Two Decades, Will Ghana Finally Pass a Right to Information Law? Global Voices If passed, it would give effect to the constitutional right of access to any information held by public institutions and private entities which perform public functions with public funds… India Central Information Commission asks EC to launch special drive for 2,000 pending RTIs Hindustan Times The Central Information Commission (CIC) has asked the Election Commission (EC) to launch a special drive to dispose of around 2,000 Right to Information (RTI) queries and first appeals awaiting a response for a long time… Sri Lanka Use of RTI to hold authorities accountable growing Colombo Gazette RTI has played a life-changing role in the lives of citizens while promoting democratic governance, acting as a tool to combat corruption and restoring sovereignty in the people of Sri Lanka… Pakistan Govt departments violate rules on proactive disclosure DAWN The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Commission (RTIC) has miserably failed to force the government departments to comply with the relevant law’s provisions on proactive disclosure…
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-154


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 154	E - Alert	Issue Date: 17-01-2018

India Gandhi's 'khorak' a 100 years ago The Kashmir Monitor The PIL (public interest litigation) and RTI (right to information) methods, combining with electoral turnarounds, can well make 2018 lead to 2019... Morocco Access to Information Act: The Home Stretch Till the Passing of the Bill Morocco World News The draft was on the agenda of the 2nd Chamber for its final adoption on January 2, however, the bill was voted... Azarbijan Will We Ever See the End of Information Control in Azarbaijan The Global Voices The ban covers a class of content known as "prohibited information," which was established by a May 2017 court... India No need of Aadhaar for RTI The Hans India The applicant who filed this complaint also filed first appeal, asking for information without insisting on the proofs first Appellate Authority Akhilesh Kumar... UK What is a Freedom of Information (FoI) request? ITPRO The right to access public information is one of the most powerful tools individuals have to scrutinise the actions of UK government bodies and public officials... Pakistan KP govt designates public information officers at village, neighbourhood councils MENAFN Public information officers have been nominated at the village and neighbourhood councils in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure access of people to information about the working of local bodies system... Ghana Government will pass the Right to Information Bill soon - Minister Ghanaweb The law would ensure that the media have easy access to information from public institutions that would enable them to hold duty bearers accountable... Zimbave Zimbabwe Activists Seek Truth About 1980s Massacres VOA Activists in southern Zimbabwe are taking legal action to demand the truth about a series of massacres in the 1980s that... Pakistan AJK journalists must work towards promotion of Kashmir cause: Midhat Shahzad Express Tribune Right to Information law would also be implemented in AJK as it has been enforced in the other provinces of the country... Iran Freedom of Information And The Control Over Hearts And Minds in Iran Huffpost It's 2018 and the information battle to control the hearts and minds of citizens continues from Russia to China and from Ethiopia to Iran...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-153


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 153	E - Alert	Issue Date: 22-12-2017

India Know Your Rights - Traffic Police cannot take out keys from vehicle while checking Nation In the information provided by the police department, it has been clearly stated that taking out the key of any two or four-wheeler is wrong. No policeman, irrespective of any rank, has the power to do this... Malta Over 400 Freedom of Information requests in 3 years Times of Malta The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act (Cap. 496), which came into force in September 2012, establishes the right to the public to information held by public authorities in order to promote added transparency and accountability in government... Canada Liberals want to be global leader on open government, but face complaints at home CBC News For instance, Scott Brison, president of the federal Treasury Board, recently flew to Argentina, where he addressed a summit of the Open Government Partnership, a coalition of more than 80 governments pledged to the cause of political openness and transparency... India CIC brings down pendency of cases in 2017 Times of India During the year 2016-17, the CIC had registered 23,811 cases and disposed of 32,344 cases, as compared to registration of 25,960 cases and disposal of 28,188 cases in the year 2015-16... Australia Freedom of information: Australians are losing the battle against government secrecy The Canberra Times Government policy on freedom of information remains in limbo. In 2014-15, thanks to resistance from the Senate... India RTI reveals several Gurugram police stations don't have ladies toilets Outlook A reply to Right to Information (RTI) application filed by social activist Harinder Dhingra has revealed that out of the 35 police stations in Haryana's Gurugram, six police stations do not have ladies washrooms... Pakistan Right to information The News Article 19 urges that the fundamental right of human being is to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media... Sri Lanka Sri Lankan govt body rejects Right to Information request on blocking of news website Tamil Guardian The regulatory commission responded this week with a denial of the request, saying the questions could not be answered for national security reasons... Pakistan Speakers call for extending RTI law to Fata for good governance Dawn The seminar on the significance of RTI law was organised by a non-government organisation in collaboration with the Bajaur Press Club here... India Access to information makes democracy more participative: Vice President Zee News Access to credible information makes a democracy more "progressive, participatory and meaningful"... Pakistan LHC rejects Punjab govt's appeal, orders release of Model Town inquiry report ARY News The counsel maintained that the government was itself accused in the Model Town incident and thus it did not make the report public...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-152


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 152	E - Alert	Issue Date: 27-11-2017

India: From right to information to right to data The daily star OGD and Right to Information (RTI) are two sides of the same coin. In fact, the foundation of OGD lies in peoples' right to information... UK Journalism Made Possible Because of the Freedom of Information Act PROPUBLICA If you're unfamiliar, the Freedom of Information Act is a law that allows anyone - yes, including you - to request records and documents from the government... India RTI reveals failed student with 2 marks actually scored 79 The news Scroll Dhananjay Kumar, a student from Bihar's Rohtas district, was declared failed in the Class 10 final examination conducted by the BSEB with just two marks in Hindi... USA Whistleblower Sues Interior Department For Information On Staff Shuffle Huffpost A scientist-turned-whistleblower who resigned from the Interior Department in October citing agency chief Ryan Zinke's "poor leadership"... Pakistan Graveyard of Journalism The Newsline Magazine Pakistan ranks fifth on the list of deadliest countries in the world for journalists; 60 have been murdered in Pakistan since 1992 - alarmingly high... India Delhi pollution: Facing ire over unused Rs 787 cr green cess, Kejriwal's AAP blames Modi govt Times Now In a shocking disclosure, a Right to Information (RTI) query on Wednesday revealed that the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government has failed to specify its utilisation of the Rs 787 crore green cess collected during 2017... USA More Nations Adopt Freedom of Information Laws The Market Mogul There are now some 112 countries that have promulgated some type of freedom of information legislation in order to enable citizens to access government data... Pakistan LHC to resume hearing on Punjab govt's plea on 21st Daily Times He said that the Model Town massacre was recognised as 'state terrorism' and witnessed by the entire country where unarmed men and women were killed and tortured... Zimbabwe Access to information: Denying the people Newsday Zimbabwe The right to access of information is canvassed in sections 61 and 62 of the Constitution. So somebody somewhere intentionally violated our rights and freedoms by denying us that piece of news... Pakistan KP govt fails to provide relief despite allocating Rs67bn for health Pakistan Today The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) declared an emergency in the health sector and had allocated a huge development budget of Rs67 billion for health sector from 2013-2018... India Breaking: RTI Act Won't Prevail Over Supreme Court Rules: Delhi HC Live Law Holding that there is no inconsistency in the Supreme Court Rules (SCR) and the Right to Information Act, the Delhi High Court... Indonesia Paradise Papers leaks take aim at Indonesian paper firm APRIL ECO-Business The global Paradise Papers leak has accused Indonesian pulp and paper giant APRIL of unethically exploiting tax loopholes Pakistan Punjab govt asked to file reply in Model town incident by Nov 24 Express Tribune Full bench headed by Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh on Wednesday sought reply from the Punjab government by November 24 over a vacant post of the information commissioner... Ghana A Right to Information Act could have saved KABA GhanaWeb KABA died a brave man, never afraid to ask the critical questions. In the absence of a Right to Information Act, he risked his health, combing through stress, deploying difficult tactics to have access to information, to enrich his program... Pakistan APNS, CPNE, PFUJ, RIUJ express concern over closure of TV channels The News The APNS office bearers have stated that any curb on the freedom of press has always been counterproductive in any democratic dispensation...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-151


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 151	E - Alert	Issue Date: 21-11-2017

India 224 nursing homes, illegal clinics being run in Gurgaon: RTI India Gurgaon, Nov 3 (PTI) A total of 224 nursing homes and illegal clinics are being run under the district's community health centre (CHC) in the millennium city, an RTI query has revealed. Athens Officials warned to produce public records Athens Daily Review The complaint alleges that the city is refusing to provide responses to an open records request," the letter shows. "This is troubling as it is not the first such complaint Pakistan Right to Information, sham or reality? Daily Times It is a recognised concept across the world that the right to information empowers citizens... USA CIA Releases Osama Bin Laden Files, Including a Viral Video TBT Inverse Culture The CIA says it released the additional files Wednesday "in the interest of transparency and to enhance public understanding of al-Qa'ida." India Route For Planned Bullet Train Loss-Making, 40% Seats Empty, Reveals RTI NDTV 32 Mail and Express trains between Mumbai to Ahmedabad have been incurring a loss of 14 crore and 31 trains from Mumbai to Ahmedabad have made losses of 15 crore. Kashmir J&K Hydel Projects: Rejection of Right to Information Request Fans Old Flames Iran Front Page The recent rejection of a right to information (RTI) request over details of the delayed handing over of several central hydel projects to the (J&K)... Pakistan LHC seeks Model Town report The Nation The Lahore High Court has sought a copy of Justice Najfi's report on Model Town massacre in 2014 for its perusal... Australia Victoria Police rejects FOI requests for information about car crash involving Premier's wife Herald Sun PREMIER Daniel Andrews has denied he interfered to stop the release of documents detailing an investigation into a collision involving his wife after a freedom of information request was deemed to not be in the public interest... Pakistan Speakers call for extending RTI law to Fata for good governance Dawn The seminar on the significance of RTI law was organised by a non-government organisation in collaboration with the Bajaur Press Club here... USA Paradise Papers: Firms ‘terrified' by data leak Jersey Evening Post It is claimed that more than six million documents belonging to offshore law firm Appleby, which has a large presence in Jersey.. Africa Gov't committed to strengthen right to information Says Communication Minister The Point The Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure has reiterated The Gambia government's commitment to strengthening and protecting the rights of access to information. Bangladesh The right to know Dhaka Tribune Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran, Hossein Entezami, says the government is determined to implement the law of Freedom of Information (FOI) passed about 6 years ago...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-150


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 150	E - Alert	Issue Date: 31-10-2017

Pakistan 'N' lawyers body head appointed information commission chief Dawn The Punjab government on appointed PML-N Lawyers Forum Pakistan President Naseer Ahmad Bhutta as Punjab Information Commission's chief commissioner... Srinagar Provide Information Under RTI or Face Action Greater Kashmir Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Khurshid Ganie Saturday asked the public information officers (PIOs) and first appellant authorities (FAAs) designated by different departments under right to information act (RTI), to provide information to applicants under rules or face penalty clause... Nepal Use RTI to ensure transparency, says president The Himalayan Inaugurating a programme organised by National Information Commission here today to mark International Day for Universal Access to Information; President Bhandari said transparency and good governance made democracy stronger... India Supreme Court asks EC to look into plea to bring parties under RTI law Financial Express The Supreme Court today asked the Election Commission (EC) to examine a representation for bringing political parties under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act to make them accountable and to curb the use of black money in elections... USA UN & Other Organisations "Failing" on Freedom of Information SCOOP World The UN and many international organizations lack the kind of freedom of information policies that are increasingly the norm among governments... India RTI Applicant Asked to Pay GST for Info DNA A Pune-resident, who filed an RTI application with the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) recently, was told this by the Public Information Officer (PIO)... Australia Victoria Police rejects FOI requests for information about car crash involving Premier's wife Herald Sun PREMIER Daniel Andrews has denied he interfered to stop the release of documents detailing an investigation into a collision involving his wife after a freedom of information request was deemed to not be in the public interest... India Bihar among top 5 states in country to receive most complaints under RTI NYOOOZ If data on the number of second appeals and complaints filed at information commissions is anything to go by, Bihar is among the top three states where response to information... USA US Sanctions N. Korean Officials for Human Rights Abuses Delhi Times The United States blacklisted seven North Korean officials and three government entities on Thursday, saying they engaged in human rights abuses that are “among the worst in the world... Iran 'Iran Resolved to Provide People with Free Access to Information Iran Front Page Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran, Hossein Entezami, says the government is determined to implement the law of Freedom of Information (FOI) passed about 6 years ago... Bahama Pledge To Protect Whistleblowers Tribune 242 THE MINNIS administration is seeking to immediately implement protections for whistleblowers in the Freedom of Information Act, despite not having a date as to when the entire legislation will be revised and fully enacted, according to Attorney General Carl Bethel...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-149


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 149	E - Alert	Issue Date: 19-10-2017

Georgia Freedom of Information: Georgia laws demand transparency The Valdosta Daily Times It is a bit burdensome for the government to comply with those requests and the posting requirements and all of that, but I do think it's worth it; we need to know what... Canada New Brunswick gets 'B' for openness in national access-to-information audit CBC News A group of media watchdogs has given the New Brunswick government a "B" grade for openness, based on a national audit of access to information systems... Pakistan KARACHI PTI leader seeks Sindh to release three key investigation reports ARY News (PTI) Karachi President Ali Zaidi has submitted a request to Chief Secretary Sindh in writing over the release of probing reports in cases concerning Baldia Factory fire... Nigeria Six years after passage, Nigerians make 'little use' of FOI Act - Report Premium Times Despite these provisions and its attendant guidelines, Nigerian ministries, departments and agencies have received very few requests for information from the public... India Right to Information: Around 2.44 crore applications filed between 2005-2016, reveals report First Post Around 2.44 crore applications under the Right to Information (RTIs) Act have been filed with various central and state government departments by citizens, NGO... U.S Is Trump a Moron? Watchdogs File Freedom of Information Requests to Find Out The Newsweek On Thursday the campaign group Free Speech For People filed the first of a series of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests seeking details about whether senior officials... Pakistan Controversial bill sails thru NA The Nation The statement of objects and reasons of the bill says the bill is intended to promote a two-way flow of information - from the government to the people and vice versa - for strengthening... India 65 RTI activists murdered since 2005 — here's a tribute to India's fallen heroes Your Story With more than 65 people killed and close to 400 harassed or intimidated, violence against RTI activists is a menace that continues... Pakistan Free flow of information not ensured in RAI Bill: CPDI Business Recorder "The RAI Bill 2017 is neither effective like the provincial right to information (RTI) laws nor in line with the globally accepted principles of RTI legislation. The two houses passed it... India 75,493 infant deaths in India from April to July, 5,547 of them from Maharashtra The Indian Express Madhya Pradesh, with 9,269 children aged till 5, recorded the highest deaths followed by Uttar Pradesh with 8,440 deaths... Ghana Parliament Urged to Pass Right to Information Bill Ghana News Agency RTI Bill, if passed in Parliament would empower Ghanaians to demand for accountability and transparency, and promote access to information that could help curb corrupt practices... Pakistan President urged to send RAI Bill 2017 back to Parliament The News We request you to use your powers under Article 74 of the Constitution and advise Parliament to review this bill in light of suggestions from civil society and RTI experts... India Manodhairya scheme: '1308 survivors have not received compensation The Indian Express Rape, acid attack survivors who were sanctioned compensation under the state-run scheme from October 2013 to January 2017 were not paid: RTI...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter-148


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 148	E - Alert	Issue Date: 03-10-2017

Pakistan International Right to Know Day - Pakistan's RTI legislation is a zero-sum game Dunya Many people know that right to information was granted in 2002 when, during the Musharraf regime, the Freedom of Information (FOI) Ordinance 2002 was introduced... Canada Beresford and Reynolds: Respect Canadians' right to know about the Canada Infrastructure Bank Ottawa Citizen Right to Know Week is a perfect time for Canadian citizens to look at the federal government's new Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB)... Mexico Access to Information: women transforming their communities Ifex 25 With more than 100 workshops carried out so far, and more than 27 communities reached, the campaign aims to bring knowledge of these tools to residents... India My RTI reveals Ram Rahim was a bigger VIP for Modi sarkar than Sri Sri and DailyO On April 19, after banning the use of lal batti (red beacon light) by VVIPs on their vehicles, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thundered on Twitter that every Indian is a VIP... Pakistan Govt fails to get right to info bill passed from NA The Nation The government and opposition engaged in a heated discussion on the 'controversial' bill for an hour. The opposition after failing to incorporate their proposed amendments in the bill took benefit... USA UN must do more to protect journalists around the world The Hill When you imagine the most dangerous jobs in the world, soldiers, police officers, firefighters... Pakistan LHC reserves decision on plea to make Justice Najafi's report public Dailytimes Qaiser Iqbal and 19 others family members of the 2014 Model Town incident's victims had filed this petition. Counsel for the petitioners Barrister Syed Ali Zafar submitted that 14 persons... India Panama Papers: ED May Summon Bachans The Economic Times... The Enforcement Directorate has received replies from actor Amitabh Bachchan and his family members to notices issued to them... UK The Right to Information Around the World Article 19 Info graphics show you where right to know laws are in place, where governments are making commitments to transparency bodies, and where there's still room... India All you need to know about filing an RTI Your Story In India, the Right to Information (RTI) Act was passed in 2005, making it mandatory for the government to respond to a citizen's request for information in the public domain... Pakistan Right to Information Pakistan Today It was on 28 September 2002 that organisations promoting freedom of information (FOI) all over the globe joined heads in Bulgaria and founded FOI... Ghana Fighting Corruption: eliminate the empty promises and let act now News Ghana One of the potent solutions to the numerous scandals of corrupt practices in our country rests in the hands of our leaders. Especially, the Executive and the Legislature to give us a good right to information law... India 65 RTI activists murdered since 2005 - here's a tribute to India's fallen heroes Your Story With more than 65 people killed and close to 400 harassed or intimidated, violence against RTI activists is a menace that continues... U.S Getting The Gift of Education Through RTI Huffpost Knowledge is powerful. So it follows that having access to knowledge is empowering for many. Naresh from Agra is a living example of that... Pakistan Murder will out: Judge orders Sharif govt to make Model Town tragedy probe public Pakistan Today The Lahore High Court's (LHC) decision Thursday, ordering the Punjab government to release the Model Town tragedy report, has added to the Sharifs' woes as the ruling family... Sri Lanka A long way to go Daily Mirror On the other hand some leaders are more futuristic. Yet, another set of political leaders focus on 'the now' and neither focus on the future nor glorify the past... Srinagar RTI: No information about Koul Commission Report, says MHA Kashmir Age The Ministry for Home Affairs Government of India in response to an application filed under Right to Information Act by Kashmiri... Pakistan KP govt asked to make RTI act functional Pakistan Today The right to access information held by public bodies, known as the right to information (RTI), is an internationally recognised human right... US Q&A with Panama Papers investigation coordinator Merquette Wire The Panama Papers are an unprecedented leak of 11.5 million files from the database of the world's fourth largest offshore...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 147


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 147	E - Alert	Issue Date: 14-09-2017

Pakistan NA Spearker Ayaz Sadiq fined for over speeding on motorway Daily Pakistan Motorway police on Sunday slapped National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq with a fine due to exceeding speed limit on M2 motorway, local media reported... India Oxygen Theory of Information The Hans India Explaining the role of information in a democratic and developing society, a renowned communication expert and former Director General... Ghana Fighting Corruption: eliminate the empty promises and let act now News Ghana One of the potent solutions to the numerous scandals of corrupt practices in our country rests in the hands of our leaders. Especially, the Executive and the Legislature to give us a good right to information law... Pakistan The right to know The News Recently, the Senate passed the Right of Access to Information Bill and now the same is waiting for the approval of the National Assembly... Sri Lanka Sri Lanka's New Right-to-Information Law Could Save Lives Open Society Foundation Introduction of a simple procedural law in August last year is changing the face of Sri Lankan democracy. The Right to Information (RTI) Act has enabled journalists and citizens to access official correspondence and records that would once have been kept shrouded in secrecy... India Corrupt may get leeway by citing privacy concerns: Arun Jaitley Indian Express A week after the Supreme Court ruled that privacy is a fundamental right; Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that privacy “comes in the way of accountability... U.S FBI Says No Public Interest In Hillary Clinton Email Files: Time To Prove Them Wrong! Conservative The FBI recently turned down a lawyer's request for the release of FBI files on Hillary Clinton, faulting the... UK UK Data Protection Laws to be Overhauled BBC "The new Data Protection Bill will give us one of the most robust, yet dynamic, set of data laws in the world," said Mr Hancock in a statement... U.S Transparency in government leads to real news The Post and Courrier Whether depending on our government for storm recovery, good schools, police protection or other important services, openness and access to information... Pakistan RTI roadblocks The Dawn THE Right of Access to Information Bill, 2017, approved by the Senate, is most likely to be passed by the National Assembly... India Centre declines sharing details of CBI chief appointment, cites confidentiality clause under RTI Act The First Post Replying to an RTI appeal, it said the appointment of CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma was done through the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), which is exempted from the ambit of the transparency law... India 50 per cent of human rights complaints from J&K: RTI The Indian Express A total of 186 complaints were received between 2012 and January 2016 from seven states, said the Ministry of Home Affairs while replying to an Right to Information application... India Seeking Personal Information Of Bank Employees Is Exempted Under RTI: Supreme Court The Outlook The court made the observation while allowing an appeal filed by Canara Bank challenging an order of the Kerala HC directing it to provide about transfers... Australia Are you ready for the amended Freedom of Information Act? Lexology While some changes formalise current informal practices, the, along with the new regulator and timeframes, will require agencies to ensure their internal processes... Pakistan RTI and emancipation of information - I Daily Times The right to information (RTI) is one of the basic drivers of participatory democracy. Yet given that information is power there are those who are averse... Malaysia Malaysia's democratic foundations key to its progress New Straits Times Malaysia is able to celebrate 60 years of independence today, proving that the country is moving in the right direction... Pakistan One PML-N achievement that everyone must appreciate Daily Times Although, the Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002 has been in the use, the Right for Access to Information Bill (2017) comprehensively covers the Article 19-A... China Analysis \| The Right to Information Macau Daily Where there is lack of institutions for managing information and the political will to make information available...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 146


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 146	E - Alert	Issue Date: 31-08-2017

India Here's how the fundamental right to privacy will affect the Right to Information Act International Business Times Experts have said that there will be a conflict between the RTI Act and the right to privacy now as the Supreme Court has upheld it as a fundamental right. Read on to know... Pakistan Filer taxpayers up by 58pc Pakistan Observer The number of return filer taxpayers in the country has increased by 58 percent during the fiscal year 2016 compared to FY2013 and by 13.23 percent against FY2015... India Making the Right to Information (RTI) work in Defence Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis Central Information Commission (CIC) advised the Ministry of Defence to ensure probity and accountability in defence procurements... Egypt Egypt's court media ban limits public access to trials Al-Monitor A legal researcher at the American University in Cairo's law and society unit, told Al-Monitor, "Judges are strongly sensitive about broadcasting hearings, especially in cases related to terrorism... UK UK Data Protection Laws to be Overhauled BBC The new Data Protection Bill will give us one of the most robust, yet dynamic, set of data laws in the world," said Mr. Hancock in a statement... USA Brennan Center and Protect Democracy File Suit to Make "Voter Fraud” Commission Records Public Newspark Forest This is a problem in South Carolina that needs to be fixed by our Legislature ... or through people suing public bodies to make sure they turn these over,” said Smith, who also works with the Press Association... Pakistan Senate passes 'Right of Access to Information Bill'; NA adopts 'Election Bill 2017' ARY News The bill moved by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb provides for the right to information... USA Herald asks Army to reveal investigation findings withheld from public The Herald The Army's investigation was released Friday, in response to a 2016 Freedom of Information Act request by the Herald... Pakistan Creating transparency Express Tribune Transparency does not happen at the flick of a switch and the passing of this bill is not going to immediately... India So Far, Narendra Modi Has Brought Back 24 Indian Antiquities from Foreign Countries TOPYPAS Replying to a Right to Information appeal of a journalist, the Archaeological Survey of India has revealed that out of these 24 ancient items, 16 have been brought... USA Douglas County launches Transparency Portal to increase government accountability NNBW Douglas County's new Transparency Portal empowers government officials and staff to conduct better analysis and performance measurement by improving access to key... India Indian citizenship regained: The 22-year ordeal of Luingam Luithui for justice Catch News The Delhi High Court has finally restored the Indian citizenship of both Luithui and his wife, declaring that they had never ceased to be Indian citizens... USA Freedom of Speech is Under Assault in the USA The Live News Trading To stand up for free speech i.e. the First Amendment is a noble thing. The left has conflated this with hate speech i.e. "Free Speech enables "hate speech”... India Did Modi Mislead Parliament on the Number of Fake Ration Cards that Aadhaar Had Exposed? The Wire Nikhil Dey of MKSS said that in Rajasthan 10 lakh people had been removed from the pension list through Aadhaar linkage. "While 50 lakh people were getting pension earlier, it has come down to 40 lakh now. As a consequence, many elderly have died or are living in abject poverty... Ghana Fighting Corruption: eliminate the empty promises and let act now News Ghana One of the potent solutions to the numerous scandals of corrupt practices in our country rests in the hands of our leaders. Especially, the Executive and the Legislature to give us a good right to information law... Scotland Victory for Scottish information campaigner in battle with Supreme Court The National We must realise that government and public sector bodies have to be seen to be open and transparent by nurturing access to information in order to improve public confidence and trust... U.S USS McCain crash is 4th Navy accident in Pacific this year Washington Post The commander of U.S. naval operations has ordered a comprehensive review to get to root causes after the collision this week between a Navy destroyer and an oil tanker near Singapore... Pakistan Protecting the whistleblower The News The bill aims to provide protection to whistleblowers that make public any corruption, criminal activity or wrongdoing... Sri Lanka A long way to go Daily Mirror On the other hand some leaders are more futuristic. Yet, another set of political leaders focus on 'the now' and neither focus on the future nor glorify the past... Nigeria Three states join Nigeria's participation in Open Government Partnership Premium Times Three state governments have formally joined the Open Government Partnership (OGP) to implement transparency reforms in Nigeria. The states are Kaduna, Anambra and Kano... Pakistan LHC seeks govt response on Model Town incident report by Sept 12 Pakistan Today The petition has been filed by the families of victims killed in Model Town massacre which killed 14 people and injured 100 others during police action... US Getting NASA to Comply With Simple FOIA Requests Is a Nightmare Motherboard Trying to effectively use the Freedom of Information Act can be hell. Maybe a police department will demand a ridiculous and seemingly arbitrary fee to collect records...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 145


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 145	E - Alert	Issue Date: 22-08-2017

India Did You Know Someone Asked India's Nuke Code as an RTI Reply, Here's What Some Others Did India Times Indians file nearly 60 lakh RTIs a year and this number is highest of such information request in the world with most requests are filled in Delhi… Pakistan KP RTI Law Promoting Transparency The News PIO was the lynchpin in the implementation of the RTI law, therefore it was essential for PIO to be fully…. India Plea to stop hounding of RTI activists The Hindu The forum opposed the probes launched against RTI activist and government officer Kashinath Shetye for filing… Thailand Thai reporter probing corruption faces trespass charge National Post Thailand’s main professional association of journalists on Friday protested the arrest on a trespassing charge of a reporter who was looking into the assets… UK UK Data Protection Laws to be Overhauled BBC "The new Data Protection Bill will give us one of the most robust, yet dynamic, set of data laws in the world," said Mr Hancock in a statement….. U.S Officials' use of private email creating 'shadow government' in South Carolina The Post and Courrier This is a problem in South Carolina that needs to be fixed by our Legislature … or through people suing public bodies to make sure they turn these over,” said Smith, who also works with the Press Association…. Pakistan Ishaq Dar launches Tax Directory of 1.21 million taxpayers The DND The 17,000 page document was formally launched by Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar during a function at FBR house in Islamabad… India Why the Government Is Still Stuck in Its Culture of Secrecy The Wire Despite legislations and promises to the contrary, the government is not doing everything it can to be more open and accessible… U.S Accomack ruling: Judges exempt from Freedom of Information Act Delmarva Now Virginia law says access must be provided “to public records in the custody of a public body or its officers and employees…. India RTI is my new amulet: Ghulam Mohiudin Sheikh, faith healer cum RTI activist The Indian Express "This area has witnessed more development since people started filing RTI applications.. U.S How much is too much to charge for public records requests? Chicago Tribune The proposed ordinance would have brought the city in line with the maximum fees allowed under the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), City Attorney Bob Long said during a Monday committee meeting…. India Did Modi Mislead Parliament on the Number of Fake Ration Cards that Aadhaar Had Exposed? The Wire Nikhil Dey of MKSS said that in Rajasthan 10 lakh people had been removed from the pension list through Aadhaar linkage. “While 50 lakh people were getting pension earlier, it has come down to 40 lakh now. As a consequence, many elderly have died or are living in abject poverty… Ghana Fighting Corruption: eliminate the empty promises and let act now News Ghana One of the potent solutions to the numerous scandals of corrupt practices in our country rests in the hands of our leaders. Especially, the Executive and the Legislature to give us a good right to information law…. Gambia Secrecy in gov’t leads to poor governance: Info Minister The Point We must realise that government and public sector bodies have to be seen to be open and transparent by nurturing access to information in order to improve public confidence and trust.. U.S CIA's 60 year war with the Government Accountability Office: the '80s Part 1 Muckrock The Agency was happy to accept the DIA’s request to coordinate lists of the types of intelligence records which the President should then certify as exempt… Pakistan Senators call for across the board accountability of corrupt Business Recorder The Senate debated a motion under Rule 218 jointly moved by lawmakers of various parties regarding measures to combat corruption with focus on off-shore companies, across the board accountability and a new accountability mechanism… India Government Asked To Clarify Whether Taj Mahal Is Mausoleum Or Temple NDTV The question, forwarded as an alternative narrative of history by some claiming to be historians and the subject of various court cases, reached the CIC through a Right to Information… Sri Lanka Sri Lanka's New Right-to-Information Law Could Save Lives Open Society Foundation Introduction of a simple procedural law in August last year is changing the face of Sri Lankan democracy. The Right to Information (RTI) Act has enabled journalists and citizens to access official correspondence and records that would once have been kept shrouded in secrecy… U.S How Wheeling says a resident cost taxpayers $144,000 The Dailyherald Did Wheeling really spend more than $144,000 to supply a resident with documents she'd requested under the Freedom of Information Act? Or is the village using big cost estimates to deter her requests?... Nigeria How public institutions deny Nigerians right to information Daily Trust The legal right to information helps the public hold authorities accountable for their actions and allows public debate to be better informed and more productive. It infuses an inclusive governance and democratic culture… Scotland Figures reveal Scottish Government more likely to reject journalists' FoI requests Press Gazette Freedom of Information (FoI) requests from journalists to the Scottish Government is being refused….
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 144


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 144	E - Alert	Issue Date: 01-08-2017

India Sasikala was allowed 23 visits, instead of 8, during four months in prison: RTI Hindustan Times A Right to Information (RTI) response has revealed that she was allowed a whopping 23 visits from February 16 – the date of her incarceration – to June 16... Canada Canada: Supreme Court fails to protect freedom of expression beyond its borders Article19 ARTICLE 19 intervened in this case with Human Rights Watch, Open Net Korea, the Software Freedom Law Centre and the Centre for Technology and Society, arguing that global orders of this kind had a chilling effect on freedom of expression Pakistan Protecting Journalists The Nation The Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage met on Thursday to gauge the progress made on the intended bill... India Right to information is indeed potent; Modi's PMO handled one million rti pleas since 2014 The Indian Saga On the applications for obtaining information which pertain to Multiple Public Authorities) shall not be transferred to such Public Authorities but rejected... India No Information for RTI Query on Taj Mahal, Archaeological Survey Officials To Lose Salary Nyoooz Not providing information about illegal constructions in the prohibited area around Taj Mahal proved costly for two officials of the Archaeological Survey of India... UK The Future of FOIA FCW News Technology has helped the government become more efficient and transparent in many areas. That hasn’t been the case in UK USA Editorial: Foundation of our freedom Daily Press President Trump's ascent to the White House came at a time when the public's right to know was already under attack... India Collector admits to electronic voting machine malfunction in RTI reply Mumbai Mirror "Every time the voter pressed a symbol of Coconut, allotted to a candidate, the LED lamp of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Lotus used to flash... U.S The Drone Program in Pakistan Is One of the Government’s Worst-Kept Secrets ACLU In August 2016, the government blacked out a court ruling against government secrecy (yes, really) hiding from the public its reasons for why the ruling should remain secret... Bangladesh Eight years old - How is the Right to Information Act faring? The Daily Star 539 complaints were lodged with the Information Commission by disgruntled information seekers. Of these, 364 were accepted for hearing. USA At 50, US Information Law Key to Open Up Government Voice of America This month marks 50 years since the U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) went into effect... UK Hazlehead Crematorium report 'must be published' BBC An internal report into "abhorrent practices" at Hazlehead Crematorium in Aberdeen must be published, Scotland's Information Commissioner has ruled... India What does privacy mean in India? Money Control As the Supreme Court of the country debates on the landmark judgement of whether to make privacy a Fundamental Right, here’s a look at how the privacy stands in India at the present Australia Mark Bailey stood down over email scandal after CCC finds 'reasonable suspicion of corrupt conduct' ABC The Crime and Corruption Commission's findings put further pressure on the minority Palaszczuk Government in the lead-up to the next state election... France 'Right to be forgotten' case in France referred to top European Union court Reporters Committee for Freedom of Press The case centered on a question of whether citizens of France, can demand that search engine results be removed from the Internet globally... Africa Call For Action On The Passage Of The RTI Bill Peacefm Online The importance of the RTI Legislation to the development and advancement of Democracy, Good Governance, Probity and Accountability... U.S ACLU requests records on Iowa share of voter info to Trump voter fraud commission KCRG The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa has sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate requesting specifics of President Trump's "voter fraud... Pakistan LG Members demands greater access to Information The Tribune RTI application for information regarding utilization of district government funds allocated to the local bodies in last two years... India PM Modi flew non-official trips to rallies in IAF planes at rates fixed in 1999 Hindustan Times The trips were largely for electioneering, and India’s election code makes it must for ministers — including the PM...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 143

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 143	E - Alert	Issue Date: 20-06-2017

India Info panel upholds right to inspect court registers The Hindu The petitioner was asked to submit an application under the Right to Information Act to the Registrar-General of the Madras High Court and obtain ... Canada No hiding abortion numbers: Ontario ruling forces gov't to allow access to statistics Lifesite The January 2012 law brought in by then-Premier Dalton McGuinty amended Ontario's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) to ... UK Terrorist 'fighting deportation after 9-year prison sentence given € 250000 in legal aid' Mirror.co.uk According to a Freedom of Information request submitted by the Daily Mail, the criminal has so far won more than € 210,000 in legal aid for his defence ... Pakistan People need to know if their rights and liberties are at risk, says SHC The News International The Sindh High Court (SHC) has observed that the right to information and the right to freedom of speech are guaranteed under the constitution and ... India Maharashtra has no information on CM's attendance in office: RTI Times of India MUMBAI: How many days was chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in office? No one knows. A Right to Information (RTI) query filed by Jeetendra ... India Why RTI Act not implemented by BCCI? CIC asks PMO The Tribune The Central Information Commission (CIC) has asked the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Law Ministry to explain why the Right to Information law ... UK Inside Housing: trade magazine that warned of high-rise fire risks The Guardian In 2015 it used a freedom of information request to reveal that just 18 council-owned tower blocks out of 2,925 had sprinklers fitted. After a fire in ... USA CNN files lawsuit seeking Comey's Trump memos CNN International That constitutes a violation of the federal Freedom of Information Act, the lawsuit alleges. CNN asked the court to require the agency release the ... India RTI activist Nikhil Dey sentenced to 4 months in jail in 20-year-old case Sify News The case refers to a row in May 1998, when Dey, a Right To Information activist, had gone to a village near Jaipur to investigate reports of corruption in ... Canada Canada: Snitches Don't Get Stitches: IPC Upholds Municipal Decision To Withhold Complainant ... Mondaq News Alerts (registration) The requestor submitted a request to City of Toronto under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for records generated ... Bangladesh Learning from the US's experience The Daily Star ... between the socio-economic and political conditions of Bangladesh and the US and the extent of their Right to Information (RTI) experiences. USA Think FOIA Is a Paper Tiger? The New York Times Gives It Some Bite New York Times Time has not been kind to the Freedom of Information Act. It was enacted more than 50 years ago to give citizens the right to obtain documents from ... Bangladesh BREAKING THE CULTURE OF 'SECRECY': Judiciary stands for right to information The Daily Star As the Court also opined, a negative opinion of the political parties in providing information would undoubtedly violate citizen's right to information ... India (Village and Block): A Comparative study of Bihar and Rajasthan Central Information Commission I was interested in exploring whether the right to information has made Blocks and Villages more transparent and accountable institutions at the ... Ireland Tusla 'worst offender' for refusing Freedom of Information requests Irish Independent "The real sense we have is this is a resource issue; I mention Tusla particularly, because they outsourced [Freedom of Information work] to the HSE ... India All talk, little information Frontline Comparison of RTI data show that the Narendra Modi government has not been as good for right to information as its predecessor, the Manmohan ... UK Thousands of children's operations cancelled each year, NHS figures show The Guardian The real number of cancellations is likely to be much higher as the figures obtained by Labour under freedom of information laws cover barely half of ... India Modi Urged to Ensure Speedy Appointment of Central Information Commissioners The Wire With many posts vacant for months, case pendency is on the rise. The National Campaign for Peoples' Right to Information has urged the prime ... India No Information For RTI Query On Taj Mahal, Archaeological Survey Officials To Lose Salary \| Agra ... NYOOOZ ... the records were not provided to a Right To Information or RTI applicant.In response to a separate RTI response, the Archaeological Survey of India ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 142

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 142	E - Alert	Issue Date: 02-06-2017

Pakistan 'Enforce Right to Information Act' The News International Coalition on Right to Information, a consortium of 52 civil society groups has demanded the Punjab Pakistan Transparency Foul The Nation It was presented in the Senate this week and has since then been termed redundant by various activists. Ireland State faces �60m bill for public services cards by end of year Irish Times Records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal the Government is examining other opportunities for the use of the card, including the ... Pakistan Right of Access to Information Bill 'restrictive, ineffective' The Nation However, citizens are unable to exercise this right in the absence of an effective federal right to information law. The CRTI presented its charter of ... Pakistan Punjab govt failed to appoint information commissioners: Expert The Nation He said the Punjab government had made a legislation on the Right to Information law and made a commission to protect the citizens' right to ... India BMC has spent ₹540 crore, but is yet to get land for 166 projects in Mumbai Hindustan Times Information accessed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act revealed that the collectors' offices -city and suburban - are yet to clear land ... Pakistan Reply sought in appointments case The News International ... of the chief information commissioner had been lying vacant for two months in violation of Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013. Pakistan A law that will ensure secrecy instead of transparency The News International ISLAMABAD: The newly-drafted Right to Information Bill tabled in the Senate defeats the purpose of its formation, thus, it turns out to be a great ... Brazil Brazil does not punish public servants who don't comply with access to information law, says Article ... Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas (blog) ... Brazil are not punished, according to a recent report from Article 19 Brazil, an NGO that defends freedom of expression and the right to information. India RTI: Lawyer seeks info on judge's IQ Times of India Ahmedabad: In a weird request under the Right to Information Act (RTI), a lawyer has asked for details about the intelligence quotient (IQ) of a sitting ... India RTI activist alleges bungling in BRTS NYOOOZ Amritsar, May 23 A Right to Information (RTI) activist and a social worker, Suresh Kumar Sharma, alleged embezzlement of funds by officials of the ... Pakistan Legalising secrecy DAWN.com Both the PML-N and PPP had committed in the Charter of Democracy that an effective right to information law would be enacted and the Freedom of ... India Information Commission Backs Centre, Says Details of Naga Accord to Be Kept Secret in Public ... The Wire ... emerged about the contents of the accord even a month later, Nayak filed an RTI application with the PMO under the Right to Information Act, 2005. Malta Planning Authority keeps chairman's new salary under wraps MaltaToday ... executive chairman's new salary, instead forwarding this newspaper to make a Freedom of Information request - a lengthier approach to obtaining ... UK Surrey Police catches 58 drivers using phones behind the wheel in month after tougher ... Get Surrey Just 58 drivers were caught using their mobile phones in Surrey in March, a Freedom of Information request has revealed. This figure is dwarfed by the ... Pakistan Senate body approves Right To Information bill The News International ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting accorded approval to the Right to Information Bill 2017 Monday and ... UK At least one deer is killed every week on Surrey roads Get Surrey Thirty five deer died on four Surrey roads alone in 2016-17, according to data from a Freedom of Information request. Surrey's deadliest road is the M3 ... Pakistan RTI bill approved by Senate committee without taking suggestion from civil society: CPDI The Nation ISLAMABAD: The Senate Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage has approved right to information bill tabled by government ... India Haryana Assembly Corrects Speaker's Educational Qualification After RTI Highlights Discrepancy The Wire Through an application filed under the Right to Information Act 2005, advocate Hemant Kumar had sought information from the state public information ... Sri Lanka Appoint Information Officers as required by RTI Act: Commission The Sunday Times Sri Lanka The Right to Information Commission (RTIC) has called on Public Authorities (PA) who have yet to comply, to abide by the mandatory statutory duty, ... Sri Lanka Odisha activist in Limca Book of Records for receiving highest RTI replies Odisha Sun Times Akhand had filed a petition under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI) with the Department of Posts, Govt of India on Jan 22, 2016 asking whether ... India 4000 investors conned of 440 acres Pune Mirror Given the magnitude of the scam, right to information (RTI) activist Vijay Kumbhar filed an application against the company. According to his blog, the ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 141

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 141	E - Alert	Issue Date: 17-05-2017

Bangladesh Journalists face restrictive access to government buildings Dhaka Tribune "Every citizen has a right to information from the Authority and the Authority shall on demand from a citizen be bound to provide information," the Right ... Bangladesh Complaints at info commission on the rise Dhaka Tribune Ever since the Right to Information (RTI) Act was enacted, the Information Commission has been seeing a significant rise of complaints by those who ... Pakistan Zardari wants draft RTI law presented in parliament The Express Tribune ISLAMABAD: PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday urged the government to bring the draft Right to Information [RTI] law - agreed upon by all ... Pakistan PHC makes judges' salaries public The News International The applicant, Zahid Abdullah, a resident of Islamabad, filed an RTI request under the provision of KP Right to Information Act 2013 for making the ... Pakistan Call for effective implementation of right to information law The News International Veteran journalist and human rights activist Zubeida Mustafa said the Right to Information Act serves as a means of check and balance to keep the ... India Filing an FIR is no answer for a missing file; PIO should reconstruct the file, rules CIC Moneylife Neither lodging a first information report (FIR) with the police nor denying information to a citizen under Right to Information Act (RTI) under the pretext ... India Word power: An RTI query to BBMP hits the language barrier Bangalore Mirror Of all the excuses available to not provide information against an RTI (Right to Information) query, a public information officer at the Bruhat Bengaluru ... Bangladesh A new breed of truth seekers The Daily Star There is a new breed of fans in South Asia: fans of the Right to Information (RTI) laws in our region. These are passionate, almost fanatical, RTI ... Pakistan Marriyum Aurangzeb presents 'Right to Information Bill, 2017' before Senate ARY NEWS ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Monday laid before India How RTI changed the face of Investigative Journalism in India forever The Siasat Daily Shyamlal Yadav not only masters to use the Indian Right to Information law as powerful tool for his journalistic work, even more importantly, in his role ... Pakistan PTI seeks information about corruption allegations on Fawad Hassan Pakistan Today Therefore, she said that right to information law demands that the "unedited" version of this report must be made public. Andleeb requested that she ... India Central Government Owes Rs 451.75 Crore to Air India For VVIP Flights Outlook India ... vice president and the prime minister, as well as special missions, according to the latest data provided under the Right To Information Act. India RTI rejection rate in most public sector banks increased in 2015-16 Hindustan Times An analysis by a Delhi-based advocacy group of over 80,000 applications filed under the Right To Information Act with 24 major public sector ... Sri Lanka ETCA will destroy Sri Lanka's IT sector- Lasantha Wickramasinghe Lankaweb ... measures to legalize its lack of transparency by excluding the Right to Know about international trade agreements by its Right to Information Bill. USA Number of FOIA Requests Reaches Record High Secrecy News (blog) Federal government agencies received more Freedom of Information Act requests last year than ever before, the Justice Department reported last ... Pakistan IHC seeks details of civil servants working in IFIs The Nation He adopted that this is his right to know under the Right to Information Law. The petitioner who is Pakistani and Belgium national stated that on ... Pakistan PTI seeks info on 'misuse of PM Office by Maryam Nawaz' The Nation ... is addressed to the principal secretary of the Prime Minister's Secretariat seeking information under the Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002. Scotland Police Scotland refuse to reveal the identity of a paedophile handed rare legal order despite case ... The Scottish Sun But when Police Scotland were asked to reveal the detailed terms of the order under Freedom of Information rules, they refused and declined to ... USA GOP Chairman Tells Agencies What to Release in FOIA Requests New York Times "All such documents and communications constitute congressional records not 'agency records' for purposes of the Freedom of Information Act, and ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 140

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 140	E - Alert	Issue Date: 02-05-2017

India Govt plans to change RTI norms will make information expensive, appeals difficult Hindustan Times The government wants to make getting information difficult as the draft rules empower public authorities more than citizens right to information (RTI) ... India Pol parties under RTI: CIC puts matter in abeyance India Today The file notings have now been disclosed by the Central Information Commission under the Right to Information (RTI) Act to activist R K Jain, who had ... India RTI pleas on pension issues should be decided in 48 hrs: CIC Business Standard ... to pension of a person pertains to his/her life and liberty which is mandated to be replied to within 48 hours as Pakistan RTIC serves notice to TMO Pakistan Observer Right to Information Commission (RTIC) Friday served notice on an officer of local administration for not sharing information and directed him to submit ... India Criminal case against wife for lying of being jobless to get alimony Pune Mirror Therefore, the husband decided to get evidence under the Right to Information (RTI) Act about her position Bahamas Activists Fear Foi Act Will Not Be Enacted As Election Looms Bahamas Tribune #AS the general election looms, activists fear that the government's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2017 is heading for the same fate of its ... Pakistan Right to information: Multan chief engineer fined two salaries The Express Tribune LAHORE: The Punjab Information Commission has imposed a fine of two salaries on an executive engineer of the machinery division of Multan for not ... Pakistan Vasai doctor booked for extorting money from builder Times of India MUMBAI: A week after an absconding Vasai-based government doctor and Right To Information (RTI) activist was booked for extorting money from a ... India No change in fee structure, word limit for RTI queries: Centre refutes 'misleading' reports Hindustan Times The Centre on Wednesday dubbed as �misleading� media reports on the Right to Information (RTI) Act Sri Lanka 110 Acts in conflict with RTI: DG Information Daily Mirror A total of 110 Acts had been found to be contradicting with the Right to Information Act when the RTI was implemented, Government Information ... UK Parking fine appeal success varies between council areas BBC News Figures obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show about a third of driver challenges were accepted. The figures cover initial challenges to ... USA Documents show NYPD infiltrated Black Lives Matter despite no knowledge of criminal activity AOL The information was made public thanks to a freedom of information lawsuit filed by a New York law firm. The documents shed light on how the NYPD ... Canada Overhaul of Canada's Access to Information Act taking too long, critic says CBC.ca He pointed to a global right-to-information rating chart, compiled by his organization, which gives Canada a ranking of 49 out of 111 countries. India Killing RTI: Bad idea to let an inquiry lapse if applicant dies Financial Express Given how the Right to Information (RTI) Act has become a powerful tool in the hands of citizens to ensure accountability from public authorities, it is ... Ireland Justice officials tried to keep Data Protection Commissioner's files secret Irish Times As a "partially included" body under the Freedom of Information Act the office is exempt from disclosing its records other than those to do with general ... Pakistan Court seeks copy of notification banning protests on The Mall The Nation The LHC sought more arguments on a petition challenging the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act (PTRIA). Justice Atir Mehmood of the ... India Right to information can't be curtailed, says Supreme Court Deccan Chronicle New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday made it clear that it can't curtail the right to seek information, knowledge and wisdom as long as the ... UK Heathrow third runway: Councils spent �350000 on legal action BBC News Four councils under Heathrow Airport's flight path spent �350,000 on legal fees challenging the planned third runway, the BBC has learnt. Hillingdon ... Sri Lanka New anti-terrorism law undermines RTI The Sunday Times Sri Lanka Questions now arise on the position of the CTA against the Right to Information Act, also enacted by this Government, which denotes that public ... India The right to reject, deny, obfuscate The Hindu A month had passed since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation announcement, but Venkatesh Nayak, a Right to Information (RTI) ... India RTI activists may come under increased threat with new rules The Indian Express The Centre is planning to impose new rules related to the Right to Information Act that will mean potential for threats and attacks to RTI activists. India Give info on sexual harassment cases to victims within 48 hrs: CIC The Tribune Information on sexual harassment cases should be provided to victims within 48 hours under the Right to Information Act as it pertains to their life and ... India When CIC disposed 1282 appeals of an RTI applicant in a single order Moneylife ... the Central Information Commission (CIC) had dismissed a record 1,282 second appeals filed by an applicant under the Right to Information (RTI) ... Sri Lanka * Salawa explosion victims to take legal action to obtain compensation Colombo Page The victims of the blast have decided to submit an application to obtain information under the Right to Information Act on how the government has ... Bangladesh Designated officials can now receive RTI training online Dhaka Tribune The online training for the Right to Information Act (RTI) 2009 will be available on the Information Commission's website, Shafiul informed reporters ... Sri Lanka RTI application by TISL reveals EPF investment details Colombo Gazette Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has successfully utilised the Right to Information (RTI) Act to request and receive information relating to ... Canada Some Canadian bank record information being sent directly to IRS CBC.ca According to information obtained by CBC News under a U.S. Freedom of Information Act request, 31,574 such reports have been sent directly to ... India Non-Traceability Of The File Cannot Be A Defence To Deny Information CIC Read Order Live Law ... their destruction would be seen as a destruction of evidence and will invite sanctions under the Public Records Act and the Right to Information Act. Pakistan Punjab DG anti-corruption ordered to provide info about corruption The News International However, the DG anti-corruption did not take an action on an application, filed by Sarmad Ali Advocate under the Right to Information Act 2013. Ireland New data shows just 2076 homes built last year Irish Times ... State last year was just 2,076, a fraction of the Government's 15,000 estimate, according to new figures obtained under the Freedom of Information. Sri Lanka RTI: President gives people access to Cabinet decisions The Sunday Times Sri Lanka ... has informed all Ministers that all Cabinet decisions and Memoranda not falling within excepted categories under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, ... UK Elderly people hit by council delays in free personal care BBC News Age Scotland's research, compiled using freedom of information requests, found significant variations across councils in the time taken to carry out ... India 500 plus RTI queries: Man loses right to seek info Deccan Herald A Punjab resident running riot with rampant applications under the Right to Information Act (RTI) has become a pain in the neck for the state authorities ... UK More NHS mental health patients treated privately BBC News By George Greenwood BBC Freedom of Information researcher ... Freedom of information requests were sent to all 81 NHS mental health authorities ... Australia Western Sydney's peak-hour train services could be cut, while North Shore may benefit ABC Online Direct train services from Penrith could be cut back as the city's $20-billion Metro project wavers on its promise of a faster, better rail system for all. USA Trump seeks shift in visa allotments key to tech outsourcing Information Management Outsourcing companies now get far more visas than traditional technology companies, according to data collected through Freedom of Information Act ... India Soft drink to oil, state food monitors find 9 products of top firms 'substandard' The Indian Express According to information accessed by The Indian Express under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, these products include Pepsico's Mirinda, ... India SHRC orders Rs 15 lakh compensation for RTI activist's family Daily News & Analysis Shetty, who had exposed several land-related scams through Right To Information Act, was brutally murdered at Talegaon Dabhade in Pune district ... Pakistan PML-N to win 2018 elections with performance: Marriyum Pakistan Today The minister said the government was working to finalise Right to Information Bill to facilitate the journalists in order to perform their duties in a proper ... Pakistan Federal and Balochistan RTI laws most ineffective: CPDI report The Nation Federal and Balochistan RTI laws most ineffective: CPDI report ... Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI) urges federal government to ... Pakistan PTI demands PTV chairperson's resignation over 'serious violations' The Express Tribune �Being the citizen of Pakistan and a taxpayer, under the Article 19-A of the Constitution of Pakistan and Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002, I, ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 139

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 139	E - Alert	Issue Date: 31-03-2017

Pakistan Our right to know The News International A Right to Information Bill has been doing the rounds of parliament for nearly five years and even passed the Senate in 2013 before it was allowed to ... India 9.76 lakh applications filed for RTI in 2015-16 Indiainfoline In year 2015-16, people of India filed 9.76 lakh applications under the Right to Information Act. The applications see an increase of 20% as against the ... India Narendra Modi's social media presence free of cost, says PMO to Manish Sisodia's RTI India.com The revelation was made in response to a Right To Information (RTI) plea filed by Delhi's deputy chief minister, Manish Sisodia demanding to know ... Bangladesh Gonojagoron Moncho uses Right to Information Act on Tonu murder case Dhaka Tribune Comilla branch of Gonojagoron Moncho has demanded to know the current state of Tonu murder investigation under the Right to Information Act and ... Pakistan Punjab Information Commission verdict The News International ISLAMABAD: With the enforcement of Right to Information (RTI) law in Punjab, citizens aware of their rights are not only filing requests to the ... India Can't apply RTI Act to unaided institutions: State info panel Times of India ... from the government do not fall within the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, the state information commission's Pune bench has ruled. Pakistan Information commission asks LHC registrar to reveal CJ's salary, perks DAWN.com ... had not provided him the piece of information within the time period prescribed in the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013. Malta Shareholders' right to information Times of Malta The First Hall Civil Court, presided over by Mr Justice Joseph Zammit McKeon on February 28, 2017, in the case 'Dr Suzanne Wolfe Martin as ... Pakistan Hefty pay cheque: Punjab's top judge gets Rs1.05m per month The Express Tribune Under Section 7 of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013, the CJ has nominated Deputy Registrar (Procurement) Shahbaz ... USA Court rules government employees can't hide public records in private accounts LA Daily News In its unanimous decision, the court made an analogy to the treatment of public records under the federal Freedom of Information Act. �In construing ... India Munna bhai MBBS style: RTI exposes over 50 applicants sent imposters to write Haryana clerk exam India Today The recruitment examination comprised a written test and one in computer skills. Gurugram-based Right to Information activist Harinder Dhingra, who ... India RTI Act: 50% rise in penalties imposed on central public information officers Times of India The Right to Information Act, 2005 provides for imposition of penalty by CIC against central public information officers (CPIO), in pursuance of section ... India Prescription for doctors who duck responsibility Mumbai Mirror When, under the right to Information Act, I asked for a copy of the report on the action taken, Sion Hospital's assistant dean, who was also the facility's ... Pakistan Right to information: LHC told to disclose staff salaries on website The Express Tribune LAHORE: In a rare move, the Punjab Information Commission has asked the Lahore High Court (LHC) to make public the records of salaries, ... Pakistan Punjab govt urged to appoint information commissioners� The News International The Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013 which scores 139 out of 140 points on CPDI score Sheet of Right to Information Laws of ... Pakistan Right to know DAWN.com WILL the newly enacted Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act 2016 be a harbinger of transparency in Sindh? The answer to this question ... Sri Lanka Caution not to strike premature body blows on RTI Daily Mirror Sri Lankan activists who rushed precipitously to file Right to Information (RTI) requests for the Assets Declarations of the President and the Prime ... UK Activists Stop Deportation of Asylum Seekers in London teleSUR English ... planes with no witnesses." A Freedom of Information request found that 1,877 people were deported on such charters in 2015, reported the Mirror. India RTI applications can be filed orally: Govt Business Standard The applications under Right to Information (RTI) Act can be filed orally, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said today. Section 6 (1) of the ... India Research scholars allege₹45-lakh swindle in MKU The Hindu ... University Grants Commission for scholarship to MKU through Right to Information Act. �I am yet to receive around ₹ 2.3 lakh of scholarship money.
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-8312794, 8312795 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 138

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 138	E - Alert	Issue Date: 17-03-2017

Pakistan 'Bulletproof vehicles only for vulnerable officials' The News International The Punjab Home Department has refused to disclose information under Right to Information Act regarding use of bulletproof vehicles by government ... India Activist Moves SC Against Delhi HC Judgment Excluding AG's Office From RTI [Read Petition] Live Law Justice Vibhu Bakhru allowed the appeal and held that the office of the Attorney General of India is a public authority under the Right to Information Act ... India Modi's passport application cannot be disclosed: Chief Information Commissioner RK Mathur The New Indian Express ... had earlier refused to share the documents, saying it is "personal information" which cannot be provided under the Right to Information (RTI) Sri Lanka RTI Commission seeks Rs. 76 m to carry out its work efficiently The Sunday Times Sri Lanka Sri Lanka's Right to Information (RTI) Commission says it has urged the Finance Ministry's Budget Director to ensure that Rs. 76 million allocated for it ... India Plea to reserve MBBS seats for govt. school students The Hindu He claimed that information obtained under the Right to Information Act, 2005 revealed that out of the 35,357 MBBS seats filled between the academic ... Bangladesh JS standing committee meetings should be open to public The Daily Star ... be open to public and the wealth accounts of the public representatives should be published to make the right to information (RTI) more effective. Pakistan 'Whistleblower' clause dropped from Right to Information Bill PressReader Pakistan's Senate committee on the Right to Information (RTI) Bill 2016 yesterday unanimously decided to drop the clause for �whistle-blowers� from ... Pakistan Interpol help sought to curb blasphemy online DAWN.com ... Pakistan's embassy in Washington has been tasked with contacting Facebook to seek the requisite information under US Right to Information laws. USA Obama Administration Spent Record Millions in 2016 Fighting Freedom of Information Act Requests The Root In its final year, the Obama administration spent a record $36.2 million on legal costs defending its refusal to turn over federal records requested under ... Pakistan After Punjab and KP, Sindh passes right to information bill The News International Following the lead of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies, the provincial legislature of Sindh unanimously passed the Sindh ... India Narendra Modi degree: Delhi University college says no data of students passing out in 1978 The New Indian Express ... and Section Officer (Information) of the University, who are the deemed PIOs under section 5(4) and 5(5) of the Right to Information Act, 2005. Pakistan Needless delay DAWN.com THE government continues to drag its feet over the issue of enacting a right to information law and putting in place institutional mechanisms so that ... Pakistan Culture of opacity DAWN.com THE active history of right to information laws in Pakistan starts from 2002, when we became the first country in South Asia to pass an ordinance in this ... Pakistan Senator Babar tables report and draft of RTI bill Daily Times ISLAMABAD: Special Committee of Senate on Right to Information (RTI) Chairman Senator Farhatullah Babar on Thursday tabled report and draft of ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2304987, 2304989 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 137

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 137	E - Alert	Issue Date: 02-03-2017

Pakistan Senate committee agrees to draft RTI Bill 2016 The Nation ISLAMABAD - A Senate select committee on Tuesday unanimously agreed on the draft of the Right to Information (RTI) Bill, 2016. A formal approval of ... Sri Lanka The Right to Information Act is effective from today. SLBC Minister of Mass Media Gayantha Karunathilaka says the Right to Information Act is effective from today. This is an election pledge made to the public ... Pakistan CPDI calls to include stakeholders in legislation on RTI The News International As reported in the media, the select committee has unanimously approved draft of right to information bill and has agreed that the proposed ... India Attorney General doesn't come under RTI: Delhi HC Daijiworld.com Under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, any government office or authority or any organisation substantially funded by the government comes under ... Pakistan Government urged to consult stakeholders The Nation It is a good development that government has expedited the process of legislation on right to information, a statement issued by an Islamabad based ... Pakistan Nadra reluctant to share details of rented offices The Nation This correspondent, as a complainant, had filed a right to information (RTI) request on October 26, 2016, with the NADRA chairman seeking ... India Info panel: Come clean on Mecca Masjid firing report Times of India The commission was dealing with an appeal filed by Right to Information activist S Q Masood who had sought documents such as the terms of ... Canada Ontario keeps abortion stats a secret. Pro-lifers are suing to expose the truth Lifesite Maloney and her ally were in Ottawa's Superior Court on Wednesday, arguing against a change to the Freedom of Information and Protection of ... Pakistan CPDI calls to include stakeholders in legislation on RTI The News International ISLAMABAD: The Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CDPI) while welcoming the development that government has expedited the process ... Nepal Information sought from 60 colleges affiliated to TU Republica The NGO has been working for right to information (RTI) in Nepal and on Sunday sought information from TU's 60 offshoot colleges in Kathmandu ... Sri Lanka Batti women take RTI route to seek details on loved ones Colombo Gazette A group of women in Batticaloa are attempting to use the Right To Information (RTI) Act to locate their loves ones, The Hindu newspaper reported. USA FBI axes FOIA requests by email, so dust off your fax machine TechCrunch Starting next month, the FBI will no longer accept Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests by email. In lieu of its popular email service, the FBI ... UK Maternity crisis looms over tide of retiring staff: Third of midwives are aged over 50 as Royal ... Daily Mail Freedom of Information requests in 2015 found that half of hospitals had to close their doors to women giving birth at least once as they were too busy. India Now, BPL applicants have to pay for photocopies above 50 pages Times of India ... Poverty Line (BPL) category will no longer be able to seek unlimited photocopies of desired information under the Right To Information (RTI) Act. Nepal Information sought from 60 colleges affiliated to TU Anna Note (satire) (press release) (blog) The NGO has been working for the right to information (RTI) in Nepal and on Sunday sought information from TU's 60 offshoot colleges in Kathmandu ... India Bar case appeal cost State Rs. 37 lakh The Hindu ... into the bar licence renewal bribery case had cost the public exchequer an estimated Rs. 37 lakh, a Right to Information (RTI) reply has revealed. Canada End this cult of secrecy: Editorial Toronto Star Instead, they are governed by provisions of Ontario's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. And that means getting access to records of ... Bahamas Freedom Of Information Bill Is Passed Despite Rollins Broadside Bahamas Tribune #THE House of Assembly passed the revamped Freedom of Information Bill last night, hours after Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins launched a ... UK Stranded patients left waiting 100 days to be discharged from hospital, with one stuck for over a year Telegraph.co.uk The figures, gathered through data obtained under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, suggest that reasons for delays included a lack of home care, ... Sri Lanka RTI Commission cash-starved The Sunday Times Sri Lanka RTI: Even President's office is not prepared: Though the Right to Information Act officially came into force on February 3, it seems that in most ... Pakistan Busted: KP education dept demolishes PTI claims on social media! Pakistan Today The requested information was, after all, part of the public domain, which is accessible to anyone through the Right to Information Act, 2013. Why the ... UK More than 30 troops across the Armed Forces are having medical treatment to change their gender Daily Mail Thirty-four troops across the Armed forces are undergoing medical treatment to reassign their gender, a Freedom of Information request has revealed. Tunisia Is Tunisia Rolling Back Freedom of Information? Global Voices Online In 2016, the constitutional right to access information was reinforced by the parliament's adoption of a freedom of information law (Law n�22 of 24 ... USA How to Force Government Transparency, Even Under Trump RollingStone.com ... generally as the Freedom of Information Act. And since 2010, MuckRock, a Boston-based nonprofit, has been helping people to file FOIA requests. Sri Lanka Sri Lanka's Right to Information act ranks third place globally on the RTI Rating Colombo Page Sri Lanka ranks at the third place in the Global Right to Information Rating, which assess country's legal framework according to 61 indicators. Mexico ... Pakistan Ombudsman directs Nadra to respond to RTI request The News International Federal ombudsman has termed Nadra's refusal to entertain a right to information (RTI) request an intentional lack of transparency and accountability. India RTI activist blows whistle, faces heat Times of India ... both state and central authorities, Right to Information (RTI) activist P Srinivas Rao, a resident of Qutbullapur, is facing heat from the city police. Australia Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and ministers were told wind not to blame for South Australia ... The Sydney Morning Herald ... target ignored confidential public service advice stating that it was not the cause, according to emails obtaine India Air quality in Delhi remains poor Business Standard The report, based on information obtained through online reports and Right to Information (RTI) applications from state pollution control boards across ... Pakistan Seeking greater transparency, Senate committee approves Right to Information Bill DAWN.com Members of a Senate select committee on Tuesday unanimously adopted a bill that seeks to codify citizens' right to information. During the meeting ... Pakistan Crossing tracks led to 1798 of 3202 train fatalities in Mumbai in 2016 Hindustan Times According to the statistics obtained under a Right to Information application by activist Sameer Jhaveri, 3,202 passengers died and 3,363 were injured ... Malawi Malawi president signs right to information law africanews Malawians are now empowered by law to seek information from elected officials and public entities. This comes after President Peter Mutharika signed ... Pakistan Our right to know The News International In 2013, the Senate approved the Right to Information Act but it was allowed to lapse when the PML-N government didn't introduce it in the National ... India RTI applications can now be filed online; depts. asked to upload information The Hindu Now, it is possible to file online applications under Right To Information (RTI) Act as State Information Commission has set up a mechanism for ... India Only information can be sought under RTI Act, says PIO The Hindu In a bizarre reply to an application filed under the Right to Information Act of 2005, the Public Information Officer (PIO)-cum-Under Secretary of Tamil ... Pakistan Charsadda DHQ 'refuses' to provide required information to RTI Commission Daily Times A social audit committee (SAC) was formed to gather the required information for which Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2013 was ... Canada Canada: Unproven Complaints Against Employers Could Soon Be Released To The Public Mondaq News Alerts (registration) "(Freedom of information law) was designed to allow access to information from government agencies, not adjudicative documents from tribunals ... Australia Vocational education: Up to 3000 disabled students at risk of funding cut The Sydney Morning Herald Documents released under freedom of information laws show that thousands of disabled students studying courses in business administration, ... Pakistan The Right to Know bill Business Recorder (press release) (registration) (blog) While Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab governments have adopted creditable new right to information laws, the other two provinces as well as the ... India Soon, file RTI pleas at the click of a mouse The Asian Age New Delhi: Filing pleas under the Right to Information Act will just be a click away for Delhiites with the city government planning to bring a new policy ... India Disclose Nathuram Godse's statement in Gandhi assassination trial: CIC Hindustan Times Acharyulu directed the Central Public Information Commissioner not to charge Rs 3 per page for photocopying because the Right to Information Act ... Canada Taxpayer-funded transit report kept secret by city Toronto Star The Star has also made a freedom of information request in this case. �Anyone who went to high school will remember that if you didn't show your ... Canada Secrecy often chokes off public information from tribunal hearings Toronto Star They were told they would have to file a Freedom of Information request � which can be a costly and lengthy process, with no guarantee that ... UK British troops given guide to Estonian strip clubs BBC News The Ministry of Defence (MoD) provided British soldiers with a guide to strip clubs in the Estonian capital, a freedom of information request to the ... Nepal Nepal, Bangladesh information commissions sign cooperation deal Himalayan Times ... of Nepal and Bangladesh have recently made an agreement to exchange mutual cooperation regarding promotion of the right to information. India Delhi: 24 'escaped' from Asha Kiran home in six years, reveals RTI The Indian Express ... inquiries made under the Right to Information (RTI) Act indicate that apart from deaths of inmates � some as young as eight � there have also been ... UK Driver with 62 penalty points on licence still on the road, investigation discovers The Independent The Freedom of Information Requests, sent out by the BBC, found 203 people were still driving despite accumulating more than 18 points. India Divorcee has no right to stay with in-laws: Rajasthan High Court Times of India Under the Right to Information Act, they were informed that, at the stage of police verification, it was found that criminal cases (s) were registered ... India RTI activist trying to expose fraud in pvt schools stabbed Times of India Hyderabad: Seeking to know the truth using the Right to Information (RTI) Act can prove costly, and the latest to face this reality is Vakiti Madhubabu, ... India Information on ₹47 lakh payment to Virat Kohli from disaster funds triggers row The Hindu In a reply to the Right to Information (RTI) application filed by one Ajendra Ajay, who is associated with the BJP, it was found that a payment of Rs ... Pakistan Limiting information The News on Sunday Over the last few years, Pakistan has become more accepting of citizen's right to information, and provinces have come up with their respective laws. Sri Lanka Illegal fishing: The Sunday Times invokes RTI law to get to the bottom The Sunday Times Sri Lanka ... which ultimately cost Sri Lanka a ban on exports, the first application by the Sunday Times under the new India RTI query turns a nightmare for BSF constable The Hindu An attempt to seek information under the Right to Information Act has become a nightmare for Shibin Thomas, a BSF constable, hailing from ... India Former bureaucrat appointed Jammu & Kashmir CIC The Indian Express The State Information Commission was set up by the state government under the provisions of Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act in ... Israel New bill aims to charge left-wing NGOs to access public information The Times of Israel In a letter to Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, the Movement for the Freedom of Information, a group that works to implement the Freedom of ... Pakistan Limiting information The News on Sunday The limitations on constitutional freedom of information must be used sparingly and only where the harm caused by disclosure of information ... Nepal KUKL refuses to respond to RTI petition Republica ... Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) has refused to respond to a Right to Information (RTI) petition seeking complete information on the ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2304987, 2304989 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 136

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 136	E - Alert	Issue Date: 17-02-2017

Pakistan Senate committee agrees to draft RTI Bill 2016 The Nation ISLAMABAD - A Senate select committee on Tuesday unanimously agreed on the draft of the Right to Information (RTI) Bill, 2016. A formal approval of ... Sri Lanka The Right to Information Act is effective from today. SLBC Minister of Mass Media Gayantha Karunathilaka says the Right to Information Act is effective from today. This is an election pledge made to the public ... Pakistan CPDI calls to include stakeholders in legislation on RTI The News International As reported in the media, the select committee has unanimously approved draft of right to information bill and has agreed that the proposed ... India Attorney General doesn't come under RTI: Delhi HC Daijiworld.com Under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, any government office or authority or any organisation substantially funded by the government comes under ... Pakistan Government urged to consult stakeholders The Nation It is a good development that government has expedited the process of legislation on right to information, a statement issued by an Islamabad based ... Pakistan Nadra reluctant to share details of rented offices The Nation This correspondent, as a complainant, had filed a right to information (RTI) request on October 26, 2016, with the NADRA chairman seeking ... India Info panel: Come clean on Mecca Masjid firing report Times of India The commission was dealing with an appeal filed by Right to Information activist S Q Masood who had sought documents such as the terms of ... Canada Ontario keeps abortion stats a secret. Pro-lifers are suing to expose the truth Lifesite Maloney and her ally were in Ottawa's Superior Court on Wednesday, arguing against a change to the Freedom of Information and Protection of ... Pakistan CPDI calls to include stakeholders in legislation on RTI The News International ISLAMABAD: The Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CDPI) while welcoming the development that government has expedited the process ... Nepal Information sought from 60 colleges affiliated to TU Republica The NGO has been working for right to information (RTI) in Nepal and on Sunday sought information from TU's 60 offshoot colleges in Kathmandu ... Sri Lanka Batti women take RTI route to seek details on loved ones Colombo Gazette A group of women in Batticaloa are attempting to use the Right To Information (RTI) Act to locate their loves ones, The Hindu newspaper reported. USA FBI axes FOIA requests by email, so dust off your fax machine TechCrunch Starting next month, the FBI will no longer accept Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests by email. In lieu of its popular email service, the FBI ... UK Maternity crisis looms over tide of retiring staff: Third of midwives are aged over 50 as Royal ... Daily Mail Freedom of Information requests in 2015 found that half of hospitals had to close their doors to women giving birth at least once as they were too busy. India Now, BPL applicants have to pay for photocopies above 50 pages Times of India ... Poverty Line (BPL) category will no longer be able to seek unlimited photocopies of desired information under the Right To Information (RTI) Act. Nepal Information sought from 60 colleges affiliated to TU Anna Note (satire) (press release) (blog) The NGO has been working for the right to information (RTI) in Nepal and on Sunday sought information from TU's 60 offshoot colleges in Kathmandu ... India Bar case appeal cost State Rs. 37 lakh The Hindu ... into the bar licence renewal bribery case had cost the public exchequer an estimated Rs. 37 lakh, a Right to Information (RTI) reply has revealed. Canada End this cult of secrecy: Editorial Toronto Star Instead, they are governed by provisions of Ontario's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. And that means getting access to records of ... Bahamas Freedom Of Information Bill Is Passed Despite Rollins Broadside Bahamas Tribune #THE House of Assembly passed the revamped Freedom of Information Bill last night, hours after Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins launched a ... UK Stranded patients left waiting 100 days to be discharged from hospital, with one stuck for over a year Telegraph.co.uk The figures, gathered through data obtained under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, suggest that reasons for delays included a lack of home care, ... Sri Lanka RTI Commission cash-starved The Sunday Times Sri Lanka RTI: Even President's office is not prepared: Though the Right to Information Act officially came into force on February 3, it seems that in most ... Pakistan Busted: KP education dept demolishes PTI claims on social media! Pakistan Today The requested information was, after all, part of the public domain, which is accessible to anyone through the Right to Information Act, 2013. Why the ... UK More than 30 troops across the Armed Forces are having medical treatment to change their gender Daily Mail Thirty-four troops across the Armed forces are undergoing medical treatment to reassign their gender, a Freedom of Information request has revealed. Tunisia Is Tunisia Rolling Back Freedom of Information? Global Voices Online In 2016, the constitutional right to access information was reinforced by the parliament's adoption of a freedom of information law (Law n�22 of 24 ... USA How to Force Government Transparency, Even Under Trump RollingStone.com ... generally as the Freedom of Information Act. And since 2010, MuckRock, a Boston-based nonprofit, has been helping people to file FOIA requests. Sri Lanka Sri Lanka's Right to Information act ranks third place globally on the RTI Rating Colombo Page Sri Lanka ranks at the third place in the Global Right to Information Rating, which assess country's legal framework according to 61 indicators. Mexico ... Pakistan Ombudsman directs Nadra to respond to RTI request The News International Federal ombudsman has termed Nadra's refusal to entertain a right to information (RTI) request an intentional lack of transparency and accountability. India RTI activist blows whistle, faces heat Times of India ... both state and central authorities, Right to Information (RTI) activist P Srinivas Rao, a resident of Qutbullapur, is facing heat from the city police. Australia Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and ministers were told wind not to blame for South Australia ... The Sydney Morning Herald ... target ignored confidential public service advice stating that it was not the cause, according to emails obtaine India Air quality in Delhi remains poor Business Standard The report, based on information obtained through online reports and Right to Information (RTI) applications from state pollution control boards across ... Pakistan Seeking greater transparency, Senate committee approves Right to Information Bill DAWN.com Members of a Senate select committee on Tuesday unanimously adopted a bill that seeks to codify citizens' right to information. During the meeting ... Pakistan Crossing tracks led to 1798 of 3202 train fatalities in Mumbai in 2016 Hindustan Times According to the statistics obtained under a Right to Information application by activist Sameer Jhaveri, 3,202 passengers died and 3,363 were injured ... Malawi Malawi president signs right to information law africanews Malawians are now empowered by law to seek information from elected officials and public entities. This comes after President Peter Mutharika signed ... Pakistan Our right to know The News International In 2013, the Senate approved the Right to Information Act but it was allowed to lapse when the PML-N government didn't introduce it in the National ... India RTI applications can now be filed online; depts. asked to upload information The Hindu Now, it is possible to file online applications under Right To Information (RTI) Act as State Information Commission has set up a mechanism for ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2304987, 2304989 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 135

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 135	E - Alert	Issue Date: 01-02-2017

Pakistan Displaced humanity The News International According to data made available under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act, from 2014-2016 just over one percent of all major crime ... Pakistan Right to information still a far cry for journalists in Pakistan The News International This correspondent has filed almost one and a half dozen information requests using the right to Information law in last six months but except one, not ... Pakistan Information law should exempt no entity: Senate panel DAWN.com ISLAMABAD: There was almost a consensus on Wednesday among members of the Senate Select Committee on Right to Information (RTI) law that ... India For the dead, there isn't enough land to rest The Hindu ... of queries under the Right to Information (RTI) Act brought to light acute shortage of land to bury or cremate the dead in different parts of the State. Sri Lanka Right to information act to come into force from 3rd of February Hiru News Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Media Gayantha Karunathilaka has issued the gazette notification, bringing the right to information act in to ... Pakistan Right to information still a far cry for journalists in Pakistan The News International ISLAMABAD: Non-provision of certified information under the freedom of information law and government functionaries avoidance to give version is ... Pakistan Senate body agrees on 10 clauses of Right to Information Bill 2016 The News International ISLAMABAD: The Senate's Select Committee on Right to Information Bill 2016 on Wednesday agreed on 10 clauses of the bill after a thorough debate ... Pakistan Corruption, human rights violations 'liable to public scrutiny' The Express Tribune This was decided in a meeting of the Senate Select Committee on the Right to Information Bill, 2016 which met with Farhatullah Babar in the chair on ... USA Law Professor Sues Trump for Alleged Constitutional Violations Harvard Crimson On Thursday, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a Freedom of Information Act Request asking various government agencies for information about ... India 'How many fake notes? Even RBI doesn't know, reveals RTI inquiry Business Standard ... number or value of fake currencies detected since the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, a Right to Information (RTI) query has revealed ... Sri Lanka RTI Act gazetted sans RTI Commissions' fees, appeals rules The Sunday Times Sri Lanka The Ministry of Mass Media responsible for the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act this week gazetted the law to become operational ... India Inquiry reports DAWN.com The Central Information Commission — constituted by the Right to Information Act, 2005, and headed by one more royalist than the king, Wajahat ... India HC stays CIC order asking govt, Tihar to compensate convict The Hindu ... under the Right to Information Act — regarding the system of compensating inmates who have been incarcerated beyond their period of sentence. India BMC yet to recover Rs 12 lakh from 5 disqualified corporators Business Standard A Right To Information query has revealed that Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not recovered the dues of Rs 12 lakh from five out of ... India No Right to Information on Note Ban: RBI Evades RTI Queries The Quint The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been denying information in response to most RTI applications that sought information on various issues related ... Pakistan Commission wants all laws congruent with info right DAWN.com While allowing the petition, the commission has maintained that the right to information has become a fundamental right of each citizen of Pakistan ... Bahamas Editorial: Four Key Points For True Freedom Of Information Bahamas Tribune #FIVE YEARS after we were promised that legislation would be enacted giving the Bahamian people the right to information about how our money ... Pakistan Senate body approved “Right to information bill 2016” International News Network ISLAMABAD: Intelligence agencies will be bound to inform about the kidnapping of any person within three days, the Senate's Select Committee ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2304987-2304989 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 134

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 134	E - Alert	Issue Date: 17-01-2017

Pakistan Hounding refugees DAWN.com According to documents obtained under the provincial Right to Information Act, of the major crimes in which cases were registered, the involvement of ... Pakistan KP right to information website defaced by 'Indian' hackers The Express Tribune PESHAWAR: The web portal of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information (RTI) Commission was allegedly hacked on Tuesday by Indian hackers. Pakistan CM Secretariat: PTI leader seeks details of additional budget The Express Tribune ... the CM's principal secretary for access to information within the time period specified in the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013. India Modi degree row: Delhi University asked to allow inquiry into records of 1978 batch of BA students Scroll.in The commission dismissed DU Central Public Information Officer Meenakshi Sahay's denial of a Right to Information query on the grounds that the ... UK BBC splashed more than £110000 on wine, beer and spirits in three years Daily Mail The BBC has spent more than £100,000 in three years on alcohol including spirits, beer and cider and sparkling wine. A Freedom of Information act ... Pakistan Departmental differences: RTI commission weighed down by undefined rules (National) The Express Tribune PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information (RTI) Commission is unable to notify its rules and finalise amendments proposed in the ... India 5 arrested for Right to Information Act activist's murder in Sonipat Times of India CHANDIGARH: A 38-year-old RTI activist of Gamdi village in Haryana's Sonipat district had to pay with his life for seeking information about the work ... Pakistan Inquiry needed into what happened to inquiry commissions The News International ... of a judicial commission in the event of a tragic incident has become a fashion, official responses received through the Right to Information (RTI) law ... India Man drives car for 10 years sans RTO registration Times of India For the last two years, a vegetable vendor from Chinchwad has been asking for his regional transport office (RTO) papers for a car that he had ... India CRPF denies RTI query on pellet guns, says there were no human rights violations Hindustan Times In a Right to Information (RTI) query to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), activist Venkatesh Nayak had asked for the Standard Operating ... India Family members use RTI Act to blackmail woman Times of India Aurangabad: The city police have booked four persons, including one woman, for allegedly using documents obtained through Right to Information ... UK Hundreds of British soldiers busted for taking drugs including cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy in ... The Sun The overall 30 per cent rise in drug-taking in the forces is revealed in official figures obtained under freedom of information laws. Pakistan KP prosecution data gives lie to claims against Afghan refugees DAWN.com Documents retrieved through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act, 2013 provide startling details of crime statistics involving Afghan ... Bangladesh Investigative journalism and the RTI Act The Daily Star The story unveiled a national scandal. Such is the power of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, as it is known in this country. Through RTI, citizens today ... Pakistan Electronic RTI application system a failure DAWN.com PESHAWAR: Lack of interest on part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Commission and public information officers in the working of the ... India RTI aids woman's quest for justice in decade-long dispute The Hindu But for her unrelenting pursuit and effective use of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, V. Santha of Pudukottai district would not. have been able to ... India RBI refuses to answer questions on 'demonetisation' citing threat to life: Report India TV ... it had asked the RBI 14 questions on 'demonetisation' between December 8, 2016 and January 2, 2017 under 'Right to Information' and the central ... UK US man pays tax bill using five wheelbarrows of coins BBC News He filed a Freedom of Information request to be given a direct number, The Bristol Herald Courier reported, and was eventually given a number he ... India Is Jana Gana Mana our national anthem? PMO gives no info in RTI Hindustan Times The CIC stated that the PMO's response of not giving information was not proper and legal, and it breached the right to information of people. Australia Currently 150 murderers and sex offenders living in community in Queensland Courier Mail ... unacceptable risk of further offences, testing positive to drugs or leaving Queensland, according to India 5012 trees will make way for Metro-3 project in Mumbai Hindustan Times The information was made public by MMRCL after they responded to a right to information (RTI) application on Wednesday, filed by Khar resident Zoru ... UK Retired British expats 'outstrip European pensioners using NHS' BBC News The figures were obtained after a BBC Freedom of Information request. Citizens of the EEA - EU states and Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein - can ... UK Foreign Office accused of breaking ministerial code over Saudi weapons assurances The Guardian It is only the second time that the information commissioner has felt forced to issue this kind of instruction under the Freedom of Information Act. UK Health tourism warning as NHS chases £350000 bill from Nigerian woman who gave birth in a ... Telegraph.co.uk ... according to data from the 90 hospitals who responded to the freedom of information requests. Of those, over 3,000 were mothers who arrived in the ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2304987-2304989 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 133

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 133	E - Alert	Issue Date: 03-01-2017

Australia Minister Kate Jones 'misled house' over audit The Australian In response, Ms Jones said departmental audit reports were released to the ABC �under the Right to Information legislation�. The Australian ... Indonesia Indonesia's forestry ministry takes Greenpeace to court over freedom of information request Mongabay.com In October, Indonesia's freedom of information commission ruled in favor of a case brought by Greenpeace, asking the forestry ministry to publish a ... Pakistan State Life directed to provide info under Freedom of Information Ordinance The News International The agency is, therefore, required to provide the requested information to the complainant under the provision of Freedom of Information Ordinance, ... UK Careless House of Lords' peers and staff lose over �10000 of taxpayer-bought iPads, laptops and ... The Sun The figures were revealed to The Sun after we ued the Freedom of Information Act to ask what items had been reported stolen or lost using the ... India Here's How Much It Costs The RBI To Print New 500 And 2000 Rupee Notes NDTV BRBNMPL, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India or RBI, said in its reply to an Right to Information (RTI) query that it charges the ... Canada A Canadian Province Is Refusing to Release Pipeline Safety Reports Motherboard �Upon conclusion of the investigation, freedom of information requests for information involved in the investigation will be considered according to the ... Canada Ontario environment ministry deliberately falsified dates on FOI requests Toronto Star ... staff at the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change altered dates on freedom of information requests to improve their compliance statistics. Pakistan Defence ministry refuses to share info under RTI law The News International In this connection, it is informed that the information asked by him cannot be provided under Section-8 of the Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002, ... UK British embassy questioned whether Malaysian PM cleared of corruption The Guardian The British cable was released under a freedom of information request made by the Guardian but was heavily redacted to include mostly factual ... Pakistan Question mark over KP govt's multi-billion rupee ad contract DAWN.com Dawn, it may be mentioned, filed two requests with the department of information, government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, under the Right to Information ... India Row in Uttarakhand over break for namaz The Hindu Also, in response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed in 2010, a copy of which is with The Hindu, the Central government stated that the ... India Activist approaches rights body with toothache Times of India Surat: A right to information (RTI) activist suffering from toothache was compelled to approach the Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) ... UK The Ministry of Defence lost 759 laptops in 18 months - and they're not alone Mirror.co.uk Maurice Frankel, director of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, said: "They are stretching credibility to well beyond its snapping point with some ... Pakistan KP Assembly spent over Rs5.3m on entertainment last fiscal The News International The information, received in response to a request under the Section 7 of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013, shows that over the ... Pakistan PTI quizzes Punjab about 1000-plus POs on the loose The Express Tribune Abbas has sought information on the POs under the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013. The report, jointly compiled by the ... Pakistan No right to know The News International While the Right to Information passed in 2014 by the Senate Standing Committee on Information had been applauded by international and local ... UK Councils have handed out �12million to fix cars damaged by potholes since 2012 and pay ... The Sun The massive payouts were revealed by hundreds of Freedom of Information requests to individual councils since 2012. Critics demanded more be ... Pakistan Right to know faces another blow in 2016 The News International ISLAMABAD: Another year passes without witnessing the passage of the Right to Information (RTI) legislation. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz ... India Man uses RTI to prove his wife is employed Times of India He has urged to provide him the information he has sought under the Right to Information (RTI). The information, he said, if given, would be of extreme ... Pakistan RDA directed to provide details about Metro Bus Project The News International The Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013 says "The public information officer is to respond to the request within 14 working days, and if the ... India Indore: Man thrashed for seeking info on monks with beacon, hooter mounted vehicles Hindustan Times On December 8, he had filed a Right To Information (RTI) query seeking information on how many monks belonging to different faiths, were allotted ... India Official caught paying bribe to RTI activist \| Bengaluru NYOOOZ NYOOOZ Summary: On Friday, a government official was caught paying a bribe to an Right to Information (RTI) activist to not dig into a particular case. India In a first, PIO directed to reply to RTI on information commissioner Times of India ... judicial officer and FAA, the order directed the quasi-judicial institution's PIO T Thilaka to provide information to city-based Right To Information (RTI) ... India RTI activist murder: 'Case remains unsolved despite arrest of two former cops' The Indian Express Based on the documents obtained under Right to Information (RTI) Act, activist Satish Shetty had filed a complaint of cheating and forgery against IRB ... Pakistan Cataloguing development in KP: CM's aide unveils six-month performance report\ The Express Tribune Similarly, the Right to Information has received 8,092 complaints out of which the government has taken action on 5,279 applications while 594 are ... Pakistan Public participation in budget making urged The News International PESHAWAR: Speakers at a seminar on the right to information have said public participation in budget making process and transparency in the ... UK Serious mistakes in NHS patient care are on the rise, figures reveal The Guardian Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that the number of surgical incidents more than doubled between 2013-14 and 2015-16. India India's transparency regime? 1.88 lakh cases pending before 16 state information commissions, no ... COUNTERVIEW A fresh study on the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2006, has said that the collective backlog in the disposal of appeals and ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2304987-2304989 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 132

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 132	E - Alert	Issue Date: 19-12-2016

Pakistan Right to information and security The Nation The recent wave of erosion of freedom of information (FOI) laws in Pakistan, has not only given citizens qualified right of access to information held by ... India 14474 cases of HIV through blood transfusion, but the government denies crisis Scroll.in An IndiaSpend investigation, through a series of Right to Information requests, has revealed that 14,474 cases of HIV through blood transfusion have ... UK Underage sexting investigations rise in number as new findings show children as young as six are ... Daily Mail In a span of a year - from April 2015 to April 2016 - 2,287 crimes of children possessing, making or distributing indecent images were recorded, ... India Tamil Nadu universities ignore disabled while hiring Times of India Its response to a petition filed under the Right to Information Act, 2005, claimed that three candidates had been recruited under the physically disabled ... India Pellets and denial of information under RTI Act Kashmir Life I had sought information under The Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) about the quantum and price of sale of pellet guns and cartridges as well ... Pakistan PTI to further squeeze CM Shahbaz Pakistan Today ... Constitution of Pakistan and the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013, she should be provided with certified information regarding ... Pakistan Human rights under threat DAWN.com Such attacks are not confined to giving sweeping powers to gag agencies under various regulations and attempts to render the Right to Information ... India No sign of 44 convicts who jumped parole from Ludhiana jails between 2011 and 2016: RTI Hindustan Times A right to information (RTI) application has revealed that the police are shying to take stern action against the culprits who have absconded after ... USA Editorial - Virginia makes minor progress on freedom of information Richmond.com After three years, a state advisory council has come up with four tweaks to the state's Freedom of Information Act. One of them: Virginia no longer can ... Australia Queensland ministers held secret talks on selling off power station The Australian The secret negotiations were revealed after a Right to Information request by The Australian, which was blocked by Treasury department officials. India RWAs join hands to curb commercial activities in residential areas Bangalore Mirror The details of these establishments were obtained under the Right to Information Act, and have been submitted to the BBMP chief and head of the ... Pakistan PTI questions Punjab govt's plan to procure jet for CM DAWN.com The letter said the information was being sought under the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013. It pointed out a tender notice had ... Philippines 277 requests made in FOI website Manila Bulletin As many as 277 requests have been made as of Sunday, December 11, through the country's freedom of information (FOI) website, which is part of the ... UK Transport for London refuses to publish data about speeding trams Croydon Advertiser The authority, which manages the tram network in Croydon, has said in reply to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request that it will not publish the ... USA Execution costs spike in Virginia; state pays pharmacy $66K WDBJ7 ... receipts provided to The Associated Press through a Freedom of Information Act request after the pharmacy's identifying information was redacted. India Around 3000 RTI cases pending with SIC Chandigarh Tribune It seems that filing an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has turned meaningless as a number of cases are lying pending with the ... India Six doctors found working full-time in more than one college, suspended The Indian Express A Right to Information (RTI) query filed by The Indian Express at MMC revealed that since 2012, 18 doctors have been suspended for being posted as ... Pakistan Most treasury members part of KP's power structure DAWN.com The information secured by Dawn from the provincial administration department under the KP Right to Information Act 2013 shows that 47 of the 77 ... India GSIC slaps Rs 25000 fine on Sancoale PIO Times of India ... pay a penalty of 25,000 for not responding to Narayan D Naik's request for information which he had sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. India Mumbai's Bhabha hospital wasted 350 litres of blood in 5 years: RTI Hindustan Times ... has resulted in wastage of 350 liters of blood in the last five years, revealed the reply to an application filed under Right To Information (RTI) Act. Pakistan Orange Line agreement terms can't be shared: commission DAWN.com ... transactions and must not agree to terms, which are in conflict with the Constitution or the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013. Pakistan Govt takes steps to stop leakage of classified information Geo News, Pakistan ISLAMABAD: Instead of tabling Right to Information Bill in the parliament which was approved by the Senate Committee on Information and ... India Hyderabad: Man creates fake home ministry order, dashes RTI query to governor Mumbai Mirror When no response came from the governor's office, Raghuvamsi dashed off a Right to Information Act query asking as to why the recommendations ... Australia Australia Post refusing to publish managing director's salary The Sydney Morning Herald Australia Post refuses to reveal how many millions of dollars its managing director earned last year, despite a freedom of information request from ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2304987-2304989 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 131

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 131	E - Alert	Issue Date: 01-12-2016

Pakistan Opposition to introduce its own RTI bill in Senate The News International ISLAMABAD: In a significant move, the joint opposition has decided to introduce its own drafted Right to Information (RTI) bill as a private piece of ... Pakistan Legal hurdle? Punjab information act challenged The Express Tribune ... and Transparency Act (PITA) has been challenged before the Lahore High Court on claims that the law itself is a hurdle in right to information. India CIC orders disclosing Machil, Pathribal Court Martial findings Kashmir Life It has rejected the idea of invoking Section 8(1)(h) to deny the same information as was demand by Venkatesh Nayak under Right to Information Act. Pakistan RTI Commission summons HED official as inquiry issue drags on The News International PESHAWAR: The Right to Information Commission Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has summoned a senior official in the Higher Education Department on ... Israel The receipts the Prime Minister's Office won't show JerusalemOnline The Prime Minister's Office declined the request from the Movement for Freedom of Information to publish the receipts detailing the expenses of the ... UK times the amount of ISIS fighters in Iraq than in Syria The Sun Figures obtained by The Sun with Freedom of Information requests reveal there have been only 30 RAF attacks in total on Syrian soil since MPs gave ... Pakistan Right to information violated The Nation DERA GHAZI kHAN-The Punjab information commissioner has taken note of the complaint filed by a citizen over violation of the right to information. UK Report blames secrecy of information for corruption in security agencies Guardian It added that the freedom of information's compliance rankings carried out in 2014-2015 showed that the security agencies were the least likely to ... India Arvind Kejriwal taunts BJP after their U-turn in Supreme Court Financial Express ... Arvind Kejriwal, in a fresh attack to the new policy, said that the government should bring all political parties under the Right to Information act. UK West Midlands Police investigate three rape cases linked to Tinder dating app Birmingham Mail Of the three West Midlands rape investigations linked to Tinder, one alleged victim could not be traced, according to the Freedom of Information ... India Gujarat High Court to decide if judge's personal details are subject to RTI Bar & Bench ... answering a pertinent question: to what extent does a sitting High Court judge's personal details fall under the ambit of the Right to Information Act? Pakistan Activists call for unity within ranks as security concerns rise The News International The other crucial problems identified by the activists, were the grave violations of right to information and freedom of association in Balochistan; on top ... Ireland Visa requests from Yemen, Eritrea and Iraq most likely to fail Irish Times The data was obtained by The Irish Times under Freedom of Information legislation. The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, which operates ... Malta GWU will earn €8.5m from government jobless scheme Times of Malta The government has now provided the contract following a request submitted under the freedom of information law. The trade union was selected ... Australia ASIC forced to explain why it refuses prospectuses The Australian Following a two-year freedom of information battle by The Australian, Information Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim on Friday ordered ASIC to hand over ... India Mumbai: NCP students' wing wants varsity to take action against errant canteens Free Press Journal He added that the university has not floated a tender every year for canteens in its campuses, as per RTI (Right to Information) replies he has received. India Over 2000 seats vacant in medical schools as infra, cost keep students away Hindustan Times A reply from the Medical Council of India (MCI) to an HT application filed under the Right to Information Act revealed that just 56,748 seats of the total ... Pakistan Generals, judges, journalists must also be held accountable Pakistan Today But, it is possible only through right to information (RTI) legislation, but the RTI law, despite having been endorsed by Senate Committee on ... India Bureaucrats tour world, but no accountability The Asian Age ... revealed information received by The Asian Age under the Right to Information Act. As per the Maharashtra government's circular dated November ... Pakistan 'RTI bill to be presented in next NA session' DAWN.com ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Maryam Aurangzeb on Wednesday said that the Right to Information (RTI) bill will be ... UK UK immigration centres record 218 hunger strikers in three months The Guardian According to figures released following a Freedom of Information request, 218 people refused to eat in July, August and September this year. Ireland More than 50000 adoptees to get right to birth certificates Irish Times Illegal adoptions pose complications in searches for birth parents · Adopted people to gain right to information on birth parents · Right to access birth ... India RTI activists write to Modi against CIC's coffee table book The Hindu Pune: City-based Right to Information (RTI) activists have condemned the launch of a coffee table book on 'successful RTI stories' by the Central ... Israel Prime Minister's Residence's 2015 expenses the lowest in 7 years Israel Hayom In response to the Movement for Freedom of Information's request, the Prime Minister's Office said that "the costs of operating the Prime Minister's ... USA Wrongfully Imprisoned in Gitmo for Years, This Man Finally Won His Freedom Huffington Post According to what had been scared up through a Freedom of Information Act request, Obaidullah was accused of being part of an al Qaeda-affiliated ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2304987-89 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 130

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 130	E - Alert	Issue Date: 18-11-2016

Pakistan Balochistan to introduce new right to information law The Express Tribune QUETTA: Adviser to CM on Information Sardar Raza Mohammad Barech has said a new draft of the Right to Information Law in Balochistan was being ... Pakistan Balochistan Government Pledges to Table RTI Bill in Assembly in 2 Months Balochistanvoices.com Quetta: Balochistan government pledged to table the Right to Information (RTI) bill in assembly within 2 months. This announcement was made by ... India High impunity and massive backlog choking RTI: Study The Hindu A new study on the performance of the adjudicators of the Right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed that information commissions (ICs) imposed the ... India New notes to cost RBI more than Rs. 12000 crore The Hindu Data from a Right to Information answer by the RBI in 2012 shows that it costs Rs. 2.50 to print each Rs. 500 denomination note, and Rs. 3.17 to print a ... USA Public records and an amusing definition of 'free' (Opinion) OregonLive.com Charging for 'open records' makes a mockery of the term 'freedom of information.'" He encouraged fines and firings of employees. Let me reply to ... India Sports Ministry wants BCCI to be brought under RTI Economic Times This is not the first time that the government has tried to get the board under right to information (RTI). In December 2011, then sports minister Ajay ... Pakistan The Need to Repeal Balochistan Freedom of Information Act 2005 Balochistanvoices.com Why is effective right to information law important for good governance? It is so because it enables citizens Pakistan Non-implementation of LHC order: FBR chief issued notice in contempt plea Business Recorder ... of Revenue (FBR) in a contempt of court petition filed by a tax lawyer following violation of Right to India PROs posted in all police stations in state The New Indian Express They also give the copies of FIR and ensure that the public avail the benefits of Right to Information and Right to Service Acts. They should also work ... USA How many racing dogs failed drug tests? In Texas, that's confidential MyStatesman.com Kelley Shannon, executive director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, said in recent years her organization has observed a steady ... India Waiting period at RTI commissions ranges between two months and 30 years Economic Times NEW DELHI: If you file a Right to Information (RTI) appeal before Assam Information Commission today, you will have to wait for 30 years to get heard. Pakistan Right to Information Law not at odds with national security: CRTI The Nation islamabad - The Right to Information Law is not at odds with the national security of the country and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is ... Pakistan Right to information: Irrigation engineer fined for withholding details The Express Tribune LAHORE: The Punjab Information Commission has fined and ordered disciplinary action against a superintendent engineer of the irrigation ... India Finally, J&K SIC becomes completely defunct; Govt still in deep slumber Daily Excelsior Today was his last working day as per the provisions of J&K Right to Information Act and with this the State Information Commission has completely ... India Book Review: RTI Act – Authentic Interpretation Of The Statute by Shailesh Gandhi & Pralhad Kacheri Live Law Just one miniscule part of right to know, i.e., right to information, truncated in myriad forms of expression UK Powers of attorney rocket as dementia becomes Britain's biggest killer Telegraph.co.uk Information released under a Freedom of Information request show that in 2015, 441,500 power of attorney arrangements were set-up, compared to ... India Sexual assault cases up 280% since 2012 Mumbai Mirror The report compiled by Praja Foundation using data gathered under the Right to Information (RTI) act India RTI info exposes plot-allotment scam Chandigarh Tribune Information provided by the GLADA authorities under the Right to Information Act revealed that 60 applications for allotment of plots under various ... USA NYPD Keeps Mayor's Helicopter Use a Secret and it 'Makes No Sense:' Experts DNAinfo Brushing aside a Freedom of Information request by DNAinfo New York, the NYPD's Legal Bureau claimed its FOIL Unit was “unable to locate ... UK Child trafficking victims disappearing from UK care at 'alarming' rate The Guardian The new data, drawn largely from freedom of information requests to 217 local authorities across the UK, shows that Thurrock, Hillingdon, Croydon, ... India University got 278 fake degrees to ratify so far this year: RTI Times of India Mumbai: The University of Mumbai finds close to 300 fake degrees every year from among the ones that are sent to it for verification by employers. Sri Lanka President yet to ratify two RTI Commission nominees The Sunday Times Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena is yet to ratify appointments for the remaining two posts of commissioners on the Right to Information (RTI) Commission, ... UK Just one person fined in UK for smoking with under-18 in car The Guardian The research was based on Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to 42 police forces in England and Wales. Only Northumbria police gave a figure ... UK A third of police forces use anti-spitting hoods on suspects Telegraph.co.uk Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act revealed the hoods have been used on 91 people aged under 18 in the last five years, with ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2304987-89 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 129

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 129	E - Alert	Issue Date: 01-11-2016

India RTI activist shot dead gulfnews.com New Delhi: An Indian Right to Information (RTI) activist Bhupendra Veera, who launched multiple campaigns against illegal land dealings and ... UK Home Office reveals 3 ILLEGAL immigrants get caught every hour entering Britain Express.co.uk Data released under Freedom of Information guidelines provides a snapshot of the crisis under Labour and the Tory/Lib Dem Coalition. On average ... UK Thousands of drivers and passengers are still being caught not wearing seatbelts Coventry Telegraph The figures, which came from a Freedom of Information request, also showed the number of motorists who failed to ensure children were buckled up in ... India Constitution Club pays rent of Rs. 100, earns Rs. 2 crore a year The Hindu ... and Sridhar Acharyulu declared that the club, a stone's throw from Parliament House, was a “public authority” under the Right to Information Act. India Withdraw police protection of defaulters: HC to State Hindustan Times Punamiya said he got figures under the Right to Information Act. According to the replies he got, Rs23.76 lakh is outstanding against builders, Rs37.52 ... Ireland Just 7% of FoI requests to An Garda Síochána granted Irish Examiner Just 7% of Freedom of Information requests made to An Garda Síochána were granted in the first 14 months after the 2014 FOI Act was extended to ... Pakistan 'Public access to information vital' The News International NOWSHERA: Chief Commissioner Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Commission Azmat Hanif Orakzai on Thursday said that public access to ... China China Lags Behind in Rule-of-Law Ranking Wall Street Journal (blog) One area where China seemed to progress was in protecting the right to information, moving up Pakistan Senate likely to reject RTI draft law The News International ISLAMABAD: The ineffective Right to Information draft law approved by the federal cabinet after its one-and-a-half dozen meetings since January 2014 ... Philippines FOI inches close to fruition Manila Bulletin ... the proposed Freedom of Information (FOI) law (Senate Bill 159) which aims to give flesh to the citizens' constitutional right to information on matters ... India Death toll of RTI activists goes up to 56 Times of India National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) has demanded an inqu iry in to the murder of Vira. In a letter written to Maharashtra CM ... Pakistan CRTI rejects govt bill on RTI The News International Ironically, the federal government has modelled this bill on the Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002 which it is already trying to repeal due to its ... Pakistan Federal govt's RTI draft law termed weakest in South Asia The News International ISLAMABAD: Tall claims apart, the PML-N government has decided not to walk the talk on the much-awaited Right to Information draft law recently ... Pakistan CPNE shares reservations on Right to Info Bill Daily Times The Right to Information Bill was discussed and the reservations of the editors were conveyed to Principal Information Officer Rao Tahseen Ali Khan ... India High Court: Army can't deny candidates answersheets Times of India ... held that Army cannot deprive job aspirants of copies of their written exam answersheet and the merit list under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. USA Exclusive: WHO cancer agency asked experts to withhold weedkiller document... Reuters Multiple subsequent freedom of information requests by the U.S. conservative advocacy group the Energy and Environment Legal Institute (E and E ... Pakistan Decline of political parties DAWN.com After imposing on the people a terrible tool of oppression in the form of the cybercrime act, the authorities have decided to make the right to information ... UK Clowns, aliens and ghosts: The five weirdest information requests made to West Midlands Police Birmingham Mail West Midlands Police have released details of some of their more extraordinary Freedom of Information requests - and some of them make for ... Pakistan Tale of two bills DAWN.com The Right of Access to Information (RAI) and the Right to Information (RTI) bills, approved by the federal cabinet and Senate respectively, provide ... Pakistan 1100 deaths reported in ATH in four months The News International BoG Chairman Javed Panni has already challenged the action of Right to Information (RTI) Commission over the request of a senior journalist in the ... Bangladesh Evolving dimensions of the RTI Act, 2009 Dhaka Tribune The evolving dynamics within the New World Economic Order prompted the unelected government of Bangladesh to adopt Right to Information as a ... India Now RTI appellate authority has asked PMO how the Prime Minister's travel bills can be a security ... Businessinsider India While the exact figure spent on the Prime Minister's travel around the globe isn't revealed, an RTI or Right to Information Act filed by a retired defence ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 128

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 128	E - Alert	Issue Date: 17-10-2016

Ireland Judges criticial of plan to alter eligibility for expenses Irish Times Documents released by the department, under the Freedom of Information Acts, show judges strongly opposed a plan last year to only permit an ... India CIC flays I-T 'informer' for using RTI to earn money Business Standard The Central Information Commission (CIC) has admonished a Right to Information (RTI) applicant who was allegedly se India Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis declares Nagpur first digital district of India The Indian Express The state has added 169 new online services under the Right to Information Act, taking the total number of services to 369. Through Aaple Sarkar ... Pakistan Right to Information Commission gets new head DAWN.com PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has appointed Azmat Hanif Orkazai as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) to the Khyber ... Sri Lanka * President appoints Right to Information Commission Colombo Page Sept 30, Colombo: President Maithripala Sirisena today appointed the Right to Information (RTI) Commission of Sri Lanka upon the recommendation ... UK BBC bosses spend thousands on taxis on top of £1million company car perks The Sun But a Freedom of Information request reveals the 216 staff are also allowed to claim expenses for a string of extra motoring costs. Last year they blew ... UK 'Britain's secret scandal': CHILDREN of alcoholics at RISK due to budget cuts Express.co.uk The All Party Parliamentary Group on Children of Alcoholics released the data, gathered through Freedom of Information requests, as part of its ... UK Police and civilian staff with mental ill health take almost 200000 sick days Daily Mail The figures, released by Police Scotland to the Liberal Democrats under Freedom of Information laws, show police officers struggling with mental ill ... Pakistan Ministry makes mockery of RTI law The News International When Zahid Abdullah of the Coalition of Right to Information moved the FO against the Law Ministry for denying the information about the funds spent ... India Assets of officials' spouse cannot be disclosed under RTI: CIC The Indian Express Demanding asset details of spouse and dependents of government officials under the Right to Information Act is “unreasonable and illegal”, the ... India CIC rejects RTI appeal of Income Tax 'informer' regarding assets of 100 IT officers Moneylife Rakesh Kumar Gupta, who claimed to be an informer to the Income Tax department (I-T Dept), filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) ... India 1.75 crore RTI applications filed since 2005: Study Economic Times The first decadal study conducted after Right to Information (RTI) Act implemented in October 2005 has revealed that over 1.75 crore applications have ... Sri Lanka Government called on to fully constitute RTI commission Colombo Gazette RTI The Right to Information Commission arguably the most important component in the framework set up by the RTI Act is yet to be fully constituted ... Sri Lanka * Sri Lankan government to set up a special office to implement RTI Act Colombo Page Oct 06, Colombo: The government is to establish a special office to disseminate information on the Right to Information Act (RTIA) in Battaramulla, ... Pakistan Orange Line Metro: Will the Supreme Court save Lahore's heritage? DAWN.com They filed Right to Information requests and petitions. One of the primary issues brought to court was the legitimacy of the No Objection Certificates ... India RTI info hints at scam in mobile tower installation Chandigarh Tribune ... fee charges from PIO, Municipal Council, Khanna, under the Right to Information Act (RTI), indicates a high-level mobile tower scam in the city. Australia Need to know? Powerhouse Museum accused of thwarting transparency laws as Labor seeks ... The Sydney Morning Herald The Powerhouse Museum has been accused of trying to circumvent freedom of information laws by charging exorbitant fees. Labor's Arts spokesman ... India Right to information: What 11 years of the RTI Act of 2005 have done for India Firstpost It was on this day 11 years back that one of the most important laws in India fully came into force. The Right to Information Act, 2005 has helped ... India Prime Minister is always on duty, PMO replies to RTI query Chandigarh Tribune The Prime Minister can be said to be on duty all the time,” the Right to Information (RTI) response from the France France covers source code with freedom of information laws Inquirer ZUT E-LAWS! The French government has added source code to the list of things covered under freedom of Canada Nova Scotia's Freedom of Information laws are dangerously toothless The Coast Halifax Changes need to be made to Nova Scotia's Freedom of Information Act. That's the call being made by critics after premier Stephen McNeil's admission ... Ghana re determined to pass RTI Bill into law – Bagbin GhanaWeb Majority Leader, Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has assured that the Legislature is more determined to pass the Right To Information (RTI) Bill ... India BSc student goes Right To Information way to get answer sheet copies Times of India NAGPUR: Fearing that his application would go unheeded like that of many other students, Bachelor of Science (BSc) student Harshal Mehta of VMV ... India Unclog the RTI process by making basic information public Hindustan Times The first decadal study conducted after the Right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed that over 1.75 crore India Exclusive: India bad loans mountain grows, risks delaying bank clean-up Reuters The latest data obtained by Reuters through a right-to-information request showed stressed loans rose to 9.22 trillion rupees ($138.5 billion) as at ... India Vexed by 'frivolous' RTI pleas, PMO issues advisory The Hindu Annoyed with the non-stop flow of applications under the Right to Information Act (RTI), most of them flippant, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has ... India Now SIC will also be defunct ? Daily Excelsior It is more than 7 years now we have Jammu& Kashmir Right to Information Act (J&K RTI Act 2009) in place in our state. It was on March 20th 2009 ... India From Kejriwal's 'Social Behaviour' To Modi's Suits. What India Wants To Know Through RTIs ScoopWhoop According to a recent report, an approximate 4800 Right to Information applications are filed in India everyday. This act, which was passed by ... UK Dozens of servicemen booted out for being too fat to fight - including 28st man The Sun Our findings – admitted by The MoD after a Freedom of Information request – also show that hundreds of military personnel are classified as obese ... UK Hundreds of Met Police officers left injured in defensive training in just 12 months Mirror.co.uk The severity of the injuries were not disclosed in the Freedom of Information request revealed, although bosses at the Met said the 15 most serious ... Pakistan Right to information: Of all rest houses in Punjab, not one for CM The Express Tribune The stopovers include facilities of restaurants, kitchens, barbeque areas as well as parking spots. Some of these resorts have party halls, play area for ... India HC dismisses plea to record court proceedings, again The Hindu The petition said since Right To Information has been recognised as an integral part of the right to life, India How Gujarat govt refused to make public inquiry commission report on corruption Times of India (blog) No doubt, I thought, things would have become easier for those who took the Right to `Information (RTI) route. But I rarely used it. However, my recent ... Bangladesh "Right to know", not "need to know" The Daily Star The overwhelming majority of Right to Information (RTI) laws around the world were enacted in the last quarter of a century, following the end of the ... India Modi Government Spent Over Rs. 36 Crore On Publicity To Mark 2 Years NDTV This information was revealed in response to an Right to Information (RTI) query by IANS. The amount for the six-hour event in Delhi was spent on ... India Pay Rs 20000 for soft copy: MMRDA The Asian Age This was revealed in a reply to a Right To Information query filed by The Asian Age. However, RTI activists have slammed the MMRDA and said that a ... Mexico The country with the world's best transparency law has a terrible record on transparency Quartz Censored or not, the Memory and Truth project exposes the limits of Mexico's freedom-of-information apparatus. Originally, the archive was supposed ... Pakistan Sindh's proposed Right to Information: A law in the right direction The Express Tribune Soon after the elections, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Punjab led the way by passing internationally acclaimed Right to Information (RTI) laws and ... India ormer CIC Shailesh Gandhi authors e-book on RTI Business Standard Former Central Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi has authored an e-book in order to lend a better interpretation of the Right To Information ... India RTI for blackmail: HC chides 2 lawyers Times of India MADURAI: The Madurai bench of the Madras high court has chided two advocates for misusing the Right to Information (RTI) Act to blackmail people ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 127

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 127	E - Alert	Issue Date: 30-09-2016

India When Punjab govt bypassed CLP leader in picking 7 RTS panel commissioners Hindustan Times ... of two members of the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) and two information commissioners of the Right to Information Commission. Philippines Senate to scrutinize FOI exceptions The Manila Times Senate Bill 159 or An Act Implementing the People's Right to Information and the Constitutional Policies of Full Public Disclosure and Honesty in the ... UK Does 'the right to be forgotten' ruling threaten our right to know? The Guardian But the right to be forgotten (a right to privacy) clashes with another key right: the right to know (plus freedom of speech, freedom of information and ... India No financial help to 4 lakh students from minority communities in 2015-16: RTI reply The Indian Express According to a response to a Right to Information (RTI) plea by activist Razaullah Khan, the state should have received 7,17,896 applications for ... India 2000 govt organisations to accept online RTI applications Deccan Chronicle New Delhi: Around 2,000 Central government organisations will soon be accepting applications under the Right to Information (RTI) Act through ... India Official refuses RTI information 24 times, fined Rs 2.29 lakh Deccan Herald An official has been fined a staggering Rs 2.29 lakh for failing to give information under the Right To Information (RTI) Act in 24 separate instances. USA Resident: Commission should stop texting, emailing while meeting Florida Today ... therefore, the public has no way to know of communications or records which should be available through a Freedom of Information Act request. India Mumbai Man Demands to Know if India is Prepared for Zombies, Alien Invasion Sputnik International Ajay Kumar claims that his real motive in making a Right to Information Act request to assess India's zombie and alien-fighting skills was to draw the ... India Bombay HC concerned over 17000 deaths due to malnutrition in Maharashtra The Indian Express One of the petitioners showed the court a reply received through the Right to Information (RTI) Act which said over 17,000 persons, including women ... UK UK nuclear weapons convoys 'have had 180 mishaps in 16 years' The Guardian The incidents catalogued in the report – based on official logs released under the Freedom of Information Act – include fuel leaks, overheated engines ... India Consider making attendance details of Tamil Nadu assembly members public, info panel suggests Times of India ... information officer (PIO) of the assembly had informed the TNSIC that these details could not be disclosed in a Right to Information (RTI) petition as it ... Pakistan FIA ordered to provide details of enquiries to petitioner The News International This correspondent had filed a request under Right to Information Act 2002 and sought year-wise details of total number of enquiries and cases ... Pakistan Journalist, lawyer get RTI Champion Award 2016 Geo's Azaz Syed honoured The News International The CRTI in partnership with the Center for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) honors two individuals each year who exercise their right to ... India India fourth on Right to Information list Economic Times NEW DELHI: India has ranked fourth in a worldwide comparative assessment of national legal frameworks for right to information, slipping a rank as ... Bangladesh People's right to information The Daily Star As we observe International Right to Information Day, it is pleasing to know that 76,043 people have sought information from different organisations ... Pakistan Right to Information Law was need of time: Chandio Pakistan Observer karachi —The Advisor to CM Sindh for Information Moula Bux Chandio while addressing at a conference on “Provincial Rights to Information Laws: ... Pakistan Right to Information and freedom of speech The Express Tribune The significance of correlation between the right to information and freedom of expression in protecting and promoting basic human rights can hardly ... Canada Nova Scotia changes Freedom Of Information, requests to be made online TheChronicleHerald.ca In the new year, citizens and journalists will be able to make Freedom of Information and Protection of Requests online, the province said in a news ... Northern Ireland Revealed: Which Northern Ireland bus lane camera raised £1m in fines in 15 months? Belfast Telegraph The figures were released by the Department for Infrastructure after a Freedom of Information request by the Belfast Telegraph. Bus lanes were ... USA Michigan House passes bills expanding state's Freedom of Information Act The Peninsula The Michigan State House of Representatives passed House Bills 5469-5478 on Wednesday to expand and strengthen the state's existing Freedom ... Pakistan Right to information law as necessary as right to Business Recorder (press release) (registration) (blog) ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid said on Monday right to information (RTI) law was ... Pakistan Journalist, lawyer get RTI Champion Award 2016 Geo's Azaz Syed honoured The News International ISLAMABAD: The Coalition of Right to Information (CRTI) Monday conferred RTI Champion Award on Geo TV correspondent Azaz Syed in recognition ... UK Father of soldier murdered in Iraq blasts Government for hounding troops but failing to find his ... Telegraph.co.uk After a request under the Freedom of Information Act, Mr Miller obtained witness statements taken shortly after the Red Caps were killed in June 2003. India Why I filed an RTI query about our government's preparedness for a zombie invasion Firstpost Which brings me to the subject to the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI) and the RTI request that I filed with the Ministry of Home Affairs in March last ... Australia Australian Tax Office claim FOI website Right to Know 'clutters the internet' The Sydney Morning Herald The Australian Tax Office has escalated a row with a website that facilitates freedom of information requests, claiming it "clutters the internet". UK Fertility treatment on NHS hit 12 year low as cash-strapped hospitals ration Daily Mail But figures obtained by the charity from Freedom of Information requests show just 17 per cent provide these cycles. This is the lowest number since ... USA Cost of Clinton-Obama Air Force One flight disclosed CNBC For every hour Air Force One is in flight, it costs $206,337, according to a Freedom of Information Act letter obtained by the nonprofit Judicial Watch.
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 126

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 126	E - Alert	Issue Date: 19-09-2016

Pakistan Alleging corruption: RTI commissioner accused of closing incomplete case The Express Tribune HARIPUR: The K-P Right to Information commissioner has allegedly closed a complaint without listening to arguments and issuing the requested ... UK How paedophiles, prostitutes, drug dealers and even a killer have all applied for jobs teaching ... The Sun The horrifying statistics, released under a Freedom of Information Request, show that those angling to Pakistan Corrupt to be protected, info seekers to be punished The News International ISLAMABAD: The Sindh government has drafted Right to Information (RTI) law that will protect the corrupt in order to save their “dignity” and penalise ... India Chief Information Commission asks PMO to respond to RTI query on Modi's black money election ... Scroll.in The Central Information Commission on Thursday asked the Prime Minister's Office to reply to a Right to Information application that sought to know ... Australia Queensland police access social justice advocate's personal file 1400 times ABC Online Queensland Council for Civil Liberties advocate Renee Eaves, who does not have a criminal record, submitted a Right to Information (RTI) request in ... India Information Commissioner posts to be filled The Hindu Ever since the Right to Information (RTI) Act became a potent instrument of change for civil society, the posts of Information Commissioners have been ... India No signature of Sheikh Abdullah on 'Instrument of Accession' Only Kashmir The information obtained by social activist Advocate Irfan Hafeez Lone through Ministry of Home Government of India, under Right to Information Act, ... Kenya President of Kenya signs Access to Information Bill Citizen The campaign for enactment of a legislative framework on freedom of information began in 2000 and human rights organisations based in Kenya were ... UK Woman claims she was raped by Uber driver on back seat after night out Mirror.co.uk ... involving Uber that have been recorded by GMP since 2015 and obtained by the Manchester Evening News using Freedom of Information laws. Canada Toronto schools raise less money than rest of region Toronto Star ... 10 English-language boards in the Greater Toronto Area, according to 2012-13 data obtained by the Star through a freedom of information request. Australia Waiting list for public houses in Tasmania jumps 21 per cent, reveals Right to Information figures The Mercury New Right to Information figures, requested by the state Opposition, show the waiting list has grown from 2882 in April last year to 3489 in August this ... India Central Information Commission to provide real-time information on RTI appeals Economic Times NEW DELHI: Filing a complaint or appeal under Right to Information (RTI) Act, you will now get real time updates. The Central Information Commission ... Pakistan RTI Commission issues show-cause notice to official The News International PESHAWAR: The Right to Information (RTI) Commission has issued show-cause notice to a deputy secretary who is public information officer in ... India Where's my promised Rs15 lakh, RTI applicant asks PM domain-B The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to respond to a Right to Information applicant who has asked ... India "Setback" to Gujarat govt: Information commissioner orders release of report on death of 3 ... COUNTERVIEW In a major setback to the Gujarat government, the state information commission, official watchdog of the right to information (RTI) Act, has ordered ... UK Shock as number of attacks on women in their own homes is on the rise Express.co.uk Released under a Freedom of Information request, the Met Police said domestic abusers carried out 2,198 sex offences, including 1,640 rapes. UK Revenge porn: More than 200 prosecuted under new law BBC News However, Freedom of Information responses to the BBC from 31 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales showed there had been 1,160 reported ... India 33 out of 44 posts of teachers vacant at JJ School of Arts Moneylife According to information procured by Anil Galgali under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, at present almost 33 out of 44 posts of professors and ... India AAI incurred 86cr loss at Gujarat airports in FY16 Times of India As per the information sought under the Right to Information Act (RTI), AAI incurred a losses of Rs 86 crore while managing the airports in Gujarat ... India RTI application forces former Cong MLC to withdraw medical claims worth Rs 1.9 lakh Bangalore Mirror The claims were withdrawn after an application was made under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking the doctor's prescriptions. RTI applicant ... India Info on efficacy of anti-riot pellet gun refused under RTI Deccan Herald In its response to a Right to Information Act application, the Ordnance Factory Board cited sections 8(1)(a) India Foreign students on top among those facing cases of drug-peddling, theft, rash driving Chandigarh Tribune ... from the Jalandhar Commissionerate regarding the involvement of foreigners and foreign students in crime through the Right to Information (RTI) Act ... India Jan Dhan 1-rupee trick: Opposition wants answers and an inquiry The Indian Express Using information obtained under the Right to Information Act, The Indian Express spoke to nearly 60 savings bank account holders, who had opened ... India MMRDA seeks legal advice to recover Rs 1577 crore from RIL Daily News & Analysis It was a Right to Information (RTI) query by Anil Galgali has brought to light that MMRDA is yet to receive Rs1632.23 crore as premium for its plots in ... Pakistan KP govt poised to take lead in enacting whistleblower law The News International He said the bill would be another milestone after enactment of the Right to Information law. He said certain amendments were suggested and would ... UK Revealed: the worst Tube stations for pickpocketing Evening Standard The statistics, obtained from the Met under the Freedom of Information Act, show 215 pickpocketing crimes at the station between the start of February ... UK Old photos of Donald Trump, Bill Clinton appear to show chummy relationship Atlanta Journal Constitution The photos were released after a Freedom of Information Act request from Politico. India Maharshtra government: Public Information Officers can't answer RTIs seeking information on them The Indian Express In a move to address the long standing complaints of Right to Information (RTI) users, the state government has issued a circular which has now ... Canada Ontario coalition pushes for transparency on autism policies Toronto Star The three-page letter, dated April 18, was obtained by the Star under freedom of information legislation, along with other email correspondence ... USA News groups sue FBI over hacking of killer's phone Boston Herald ... against potential improprieties,” states the suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act. UK Foreign criminals paid thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money to leave Britain The Sun ... £1.1 million handed out in the 2014/15 financial year. The figures were revealed following a Freedom of Information request by The Sun on Sunday. India Private engineering college a public authority, must give info, says KIC Deccan Herald ... private universities, engineering and medical colleges, which have been refusing to furnish information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. India 'Nasha bhajao, putt bachao': After losing son to drugs, father turns crusader Hindustan Times ... from different hospitals and drug de-addiction centres from parts of Punjab under the Right to Information Act suggests that the problem is serious. India Banks told to probe one-rupee deposits into zero-balance accounts: Govt The Indian Express Using information obtained under the Right to Information Act, The Indian Express had spoken to nearly 60 savings bank account holders, who had ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 125

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 125	E - Alert	Issue Date: 31-08-2016

UK Three patients died after serious incidents and never events at Halton and Warrington Hospitals ... Runcorn and Widnes World A Freedom of Information request has revealed that three patients died after serious untoward incidents and never events at Halton and Warrington ... India Info panel slaps Rs1-lakh penalty... Chandigarh Tribune Taking a serious note of non-compliance of the provisions of the Right to Information Act, the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC), Punjab, SS ... India SC to decide if it comes under RTI Act Chandigarh Tribune ... Bench of the Supreme Court will decide if the apex court is bound to disclose details of its functioning under the Right to Information (RTI). Pakistan Practice of secrecy amid promise of transparency The News International The ruling party's manifesto reads: â€œRight to information law based on international best practices shall be Pakistan RTI Act to be extended to Malakand Daily Times PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act is implanted in the province and in near future it will be extended to the Malakand ... UK Journalists and police join forces to oppose corruption investigation secrecy The Guardian But this secrecy would also require changes to the Right To Information Act around the notification of decisions â€œincluding reasons [for] refusal of ... India 118 sexual harassment cases filed in BMC in 4 years, reveals RTI Hindustan Times ... Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials have registered 118 cases of sexual harassment in its offices, reveals a right to information (RTI) response. India Army canteens most profitable retail chain in India, ahead of Future & Reliance Retail Economic Times ... earned Rs 236 crore during FY14-15, according to a Right to Information query. Comparatively, Avenue Supermart, which runs D'Mart stores, made ... UK Rights group challenges FoI refusal in Libyan rendition case The Guardian The previous month Reprieve submitted a request to the Cabinet Office under the Freedom of Information Act asking whether any of its ministers or ... UK Revealed: Full scale of domestic abuse in London as police deal with 76000 incidents in one year Evening Standard The data, released under the Freedom of Information Act, did not include child victims unless they were also an informant or witness, as offences ... Australia Sydney buses are far from space age dailytelegraph.com.au ... buses have 756,000km or more on their odometers â€” to the Moon and back â€” according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act. Ireland Discipline probes see 11 gardaÃ quit force Irish Examiner Details of the scale of alleged serious breaches of discipline within the force were released under the Freedom of Information Act. Documents reveal a ... Pakistan Draft law: Cabinet likely to review Right to Information bill The Express Tribune ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet is expected to take up the draft of the Right to Information Bill, 2016, in its next meeting. But the information ministry is ... UK Want to spy on the UK? Fill in a form: Foreign agencies 'are using Freedom of Information requests ... Daily Mail It's thought of as a world of dead-letter drops, hidden cameras and cutting-edge gadgetry. But the truth behind modern espionage may actually be ... India 'One KTC bus breaks down every second day' Times of India The data was made available by Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) under information obtained right to information (RTI). Kadamba transport ... Cong promises KTC revamp after polls - Oherald India Sex ratio set to fall around 800 in U'khand: Study Chandigarh Tribune The utilisation certificates (UCs) of the NDKY provided to the Asian Centre for Human Rights by the authorities under the Right to Information Act (RTI) ... India PM to release success stories of RTI Act Press Trust of India New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release success stories of Right to Information (RTI) Act, during a programme to be held in ... UK Rejected recyclable waste up 84% in England since 2011, data shows BBC News A BBC Freedom of Information request found councils were unable to recycle 338,000 tons of waste in 2014-15 - up from about 184,000 tons in ... 340000 tons of recycling sent to landfill because of confusion about rules - Daily Mail USA Immigrant detainees in Georgia more likely to be deported than detainees elsewhere Southern Poverty Law Center This analysis is based on data released by ICE through a Freedom of Information Act request for FY 2015. It compares data from the Stewart and Irwin ... Sri Lanka Government to establish National Information Centre Ceylon Daily News ... and accurate official information to the public is a key responsibility of the government, reaffirmed by the recently adopted Right to Information Act. USA The Pentagon's use of FOIA is flawed. Now it wants to make it even stricter. Washington Post A wide-ranging group of government transparency advocates asked Congress on Wednesday to block new changes to the Freedom of Information Act ... Tanzania Tanzania: Will Tanzania Get a 'State-of-the-Art' Information Law? AllAfrica.com Initially, a document dubbed the "Freedom of Information Bill" was released by the Directorate of Pakistan Govt will soon table 'Right to Information Bill' in NA: Pervaiz Radio Pakistan (press release) Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid says the government would soon table Right to Information Bill in the National Assembly. Speaking at a ceremony ... India No records available on AgustaWestland deal: Defence Ministry, IAF The Indian Express Under the Right to Information Act, an application was filed with the Defence Ministry seeking complete records related to the deal, including price ... India BMC road scam: Police likely to arrest 30 more civic body officials Hindustan Times Right to Information (RTI) activist, Anil Galgali, had complained to state lokayukta ML Tahilyani, about the delay in action against civic officials. He also ... India 18 years on, Malawali village yet to get metalled road Chandigarh Tribune A resident of the village Kuljeet Singh Malawali, who managed to get information through right to information, said, â€œThe road was last paved by the ... India From violence to impersonation: Over 800 students penalised by JNU The Sunday Guardian ... and possessing liquor and ganja, according to information provided by the JNU administration in reply to a Right to Information (RTI) petition. Malta Has the Freedom of Information Act worked? Times of Malta Other very important documents were not published because the Freedom of Information Act was, coincidentally, only introduced a few months before ... UK Soaring number of children being taken into care for abusing and beating up parents The Sun The shocking results were revealed after Freedom of Information requests by The Sun on Sunday to all 149 councils in England. And the 62 known ... UK/Bangladesh Bangladeshi jail 'cover-up' as UK journalist faces trial The Guardian Freedom of information requests have been rejected by the MoJ on the basis of â€œprotecting national securityâ€, alongside diplomatic reasons. Pakistan Public's right to information Daily Times Access to information has been recognised as a fundamental right of people across the world as well as in Pakistan. Right to information was formally ... India SC rejects petition to stop royalty to Mysuru Maharaja Hindustan Times In response to his queries made under the Right to Information (RTI) law, Urs learnt the state released `75 lakh between 2012 and 2014 as part of its ... India Disciplinary Action on 7 JNU Students Every Month from 2010 to June 2016: RTI News18 ... an average against seven students every month in the last six-and-a-half years for violation of rules, according to an Right to Information (RTI) query. UK More than 1000 rapes and sexual assaults reported at London schools in four years The Independent A Freedom of Information request found that more than 15 per cent of the rape allegations were reported in Croydon, where 13 rapes were recorded. UK British police criticised for lack of transparency in Bahrain training deal The Guardian In a recent response to a freedom of information request submitted by the campaign group of Reprieve, the college gave a broad outline of the courses it ... Pakistan Up on website: KP health ministry makes medicine rates public The Express Tribune Officials said since a law was already in place and people could get the information by filing an application under the Right to Information Act, 2014, ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 124

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 124	E - Alert	Issue Date: 16-08-2016

USA ama's Trip to Paris Climate Change Conference Cost Taxpayers $4165068.40 CNSNews.com ... which Judicial Watch obtained through a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act India 75 children went missing in 26 months in Jalandhar Hindustan Times Hindustan Times received information about details of missing children under the Right to Information Act, 2005. As per information given by the police ... Sri Lanka RTI: 2nd best Act in South Asian Region - Media Minister Ceylon Daily News â€œThe best example is the bogus tales carried about the Right to Information Act (RTI), that this Act would limit the independence of journalists andâ€¦ India 62 pilots grounded in 6 months for violating air safety norms Hindustan Times â€œIn the era of the Right to Information Act, there should be no opaqueness. If an airline has defaulted, the regulatory body should make it public,â€ said ... Â Australia Mobile speed cameras reap $3.6m in Melbourne's east in 2015 Herald Sun Freedom of Information documents from the Department of Justice revealed the top locations across the municipality which stung motorists $3,635,733 ... UK Children with mental health problems forced to wait up to THREE YEARS for treatment Mirror.co.uk Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show youngsters battling depression, eating disorders and self harm are having to wait weeks ... Ireland Authorities left in dark after toxic mineral exposed at quarry Irish Times The exact details of the sites have been excised from documents provided under freedom of information. However, there are mentions of new cycle ... Ireland Fears grow over nuclear power agreements with UK after Brexit Irish Independent Documents released following a Freedom of Information request reveal high-ranking civil servants fear information exchanges will be under threat ... Canada Ontario's $300 billion in debt explained Toronto Sun He reported he's made six freedom of information requests. Four of these requests have been partially fulfilled and two have not been fulfilled. India RTI revelation: Rs 2958 crore spent on Ganga 'clean-up' without visible results Economic Times The response to a Right to Information (RTI) poser by a Aishwarya Sharma, a Class 10 student from the city, to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has ... UK Forget flossing: four alternative ways to keep your teeth healthy The Guardian The truth is out: a Freedom of Information request in the US has revealed that flossing could be a waste of time. So what can you do to protect your ... Pakistan Ombudsman asks PCB to share inquiry reports on match fixers The News International ISLAMABAD: In a major decision on right to information, the federal ombudsman has directed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to share details of ... India Maggot-infested patient lies unattended in washroom at Amritsar govt hospital Hindustan Times We are short of manpower to deal with our rush.â€ Rajendra Sharma, the Right to Information (RTI) activist who brought the man to the hospital, said: â€œI ... UK Bowel cancer: 29% of UK hospitals not following guidance on testing younger patients The Guardian In Northern Ireland, 100% of hospitals that responded to a freedom of information request were conducting the screening. In Scotland, 93% of ... UK How YOU pay thousands for police chiefs' household bills and private healthcare Daily Mail The scale of the benefits enjoyed by senior officers has emerged only after hundreds of Freedom of Information requests by the Mail Investigations ... India Convict's RTI petitions force EC to crack whip on missing electoral rolls Times of India CHENNAI: A series of Right to Information (RTI) petitions by a convict lodged in Puzhal prison has inadvertently resulted in the Chief Electoral Officer ... India Mumbai: No doctors to hear out patients at civic hospitals Mid-Day A Right To Information (RTI) application filed by a doctor has revealed that out of the eight posts for audiologists in all the four major hospitals â€” KEM, ... India NU debars principal accused of sexual harassment Times of India ... gave impartial report, she was being allegedly harassed by Jumde by filing numerous applications under Right to Information (RTI) Act, seeking her ... USA Anti-Trump group files request for Melania's immigration papers New York Daily News The Democratic Coalition Against Trump has filed a Freedom of Information Act request to make public the potential first lady's immigration papers ... Sri Lanka Full text of Right To Information Act The Sunday Times Sri Lanka Speaker Karu Jayasuriya signed the Right To Information Act No. 12 of 2016 recently. Here is the full text of Australia How schools are failing some of NSW's most vulnerable students The Sydney Morning Herald Documents obtained under freedom of information laws reveal scores of disturbing allegations about bullying and abuse of students with disability in ... USA Villanova Professor Sues CIA Over â€¦ Bay of Pigs?! Philadelphia magazine He's submitted three Freedom of Information Act requests with the CIA in an attempt to get the agency to release the document, but the CIA hasn't. India Left out in the cold: Hindus who fled Pakistan await Indian citizenship Hindustan Times The NDA government says more than 4,200 people have got citizenship between 2014 and 2015 but a Right To Information application revealed the ... India Pay check: Modi pulls Rs 1.6 lakh per month, far less than his secretary Catch News Earlier this week, the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) divulged the salary of all top officials in the department as per the Right to Information Act and it ... UK Romanian murderer could receive Â£500000 payout for being unlawfully detained at an immigration ... Telegraph.co.uk A separate freedom of information request made by the charity Citizens UK found that between 2012 and 2015, individuals wrongfully detained ... India Maharashtra: Sex crimes against children on rise; 11123 cases pending in courts The Indian Express The government figures were obtained under the Right to Information Act from the office of the Assistant Registrar (High Court), Appellate Side, in the ... India Unable to find India's poorest man, PMO returns Rs 1 lakh to Rajasthan donor India Tribune The government has no idea and it cannot find out either, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) told a retired school teacher from Rajasthan who last year ... Ireland Four PSNI officers avoid potential disciplinary action by retiring Irish Mirror ... 129 police officers have retired whilst facing a misconduct investigation since 2011-12 according to answers to our Freedom of Information requests. India Finding the right measure The Hindu A Right to Information query by divyabhaskar.com revealed that the government in Gujarat is funding separate cremation grounds for the Scheduled ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 122

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 122	E - Alert	Issue Date: 30-06-2016

Sri Lanka Right to Information: A new journey begins Sri Lanka Guardian (June 25, 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) On June 24, 2016, Parliament unanimously adopted the Right to Information (RTI) law. This marks the ... Pakistan Encroachers will have to face severe penalties: GDA Pakistan Observer Right to Information unit has been established so that people will be able to get more information regarding the development projects from the officials. India Maharashtra lost 530 sq km green cover to government, private projects in 28 years Times of India ... of forest cover to government and private projects in a period of 28 years from 1987 to 2015, a query under the Right to Information Act has revealed. Pakistan PIC summons university registrar on 27th The News International ... University registrar on June 27 for violating the Right to Information Act and not sharing information to a complainant regarding recruitment of admin ... Pakistan Foreign policy briefing: PM summons all diplomats to Islamabad after Eid The Express Tribune The minister told the newly-elected CPNE panel that the draft of the Right to Sri Lanka Right to Information Bill passed Ceylon Daily News The Right to Information Bill was unanimously passed with amendments in Parliament yesterday. Mass Media and Parliamentary Reforms Minister ... Pakistan Commission directs Punjab govt to share info on Orange Line Project The News International â€œThe amount to be spent on this project is a public money; hence, in view of Article 19-A read with Punjab Transparency and Right to Information ... India RTI act being used to harass government officials in Gujarat Times of India GANDHINAGAR: Government officials in Gujarat tasked with finding answers to Right To Information Act (RTI) queries filed by their fellow citizens, say ... Pakistan Police cover up escape of militants, criminals from Mardan Police Lines DAWN.com The police, in a request under the Right to Information Act, sent through the inspector general of police on June 1, 2016, to seek details of the incident, ... Pakistan Public information: UET told to provide meeting record by July 5 The Express Tribune The commissioner said the view of the respondents was not in line with the provisions of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013. India GRABBING OF 650 KANALS OF KAHCHARIE LAND Greater Kashmir In support of his contention, the petitioner produced a reply copy he had received through Right to Information Act as proof that the land in question is ... UK 'Insidious' tech firms must protect children online, says campaigner The Guardian Out of 44 police forces, 38 responded to a freedom of information request that revealed 3,186 recorded sexual crimes against children in which the ... India Delhi University rejects another RTI query over PM Modi's degree Daily News & Analysis The University of Delhi has once again rejected right to information (RTI) query seeking details about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's degree. Israel Netanyahu's Household Expenses in 2014: 2 Million Shekels, Paid for by Taxpayers Haaretz Freedom of Information request reveals invoices from Netanyahu's state and private residences: 1,400 shekels a day for cleaning, nearly 60,000 for ... USA State agency withholds trove of prison records â€” from basic info to overdose video Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Bill Lueders, the president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, characterized the department's response as outrageous. "You've paid ... India MP files RTI plea to seek details of police combing op Times of India Aurangabad: MP Chandrakant Khaire has shot off a fresh Right To Information (RTI) application, seeking details of a recent combing operation against ... USA Bob Dunning: First rule of cheating? Don't get caught Davis Enterprise Using the Freedom of Information Act, â€œthe Journal asked 50 public universities with large foreign enrollments how many reports of alleged ... India Cancel state nod to Priyanka for house near The Retreat, says Himachal BJP The Indian Express ... making public details of the permission granted to her when activist Devashish Bhattarcharya sought it through a Right to Information (RTI) plea. India vermin The Hindu Right to Information queries by animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi and viewed by The Hindu show that the environment ministry, in September 2015, ... Pakistan Significance of accountability Daily Times Conscious efforts were made to improve the access to the Right to Information Act. And a culture of e-transparency has also been introduced by ... Israel Court rejects petition to review all of PM's 2014 receipts Israel Hayom The Jerusalem District Court rejected Thursday a petition from the Movement for Freedom of Information that would have required the Prime Minister's ... Canada The FOI Raccoon Digs Through Council's Emails, DMs, and BBMs Torontoist Torontoist launched this column two weeks ago with the goal of holding public institutions accountable with freedom of information requests, and to ... USA Photographs of Bill Clinton together with Donald Trump to be released Telegraph.co.uk ... said the pictures will be released on September 9 following an application under America's Freedom of Information Act by the Buzzfeed website. Pakistan Punjab University's denial of right to information has slashed question marks over the institution's ... The Nation (blog) Under the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013, the enquirer, Sarmad Ali had previously asked the Registrar in writing about the ... India Delhi govt tells RTI activist that his campaign to include RTI Act in school syllabus duly noted Times of India DEHRADUN: After his idea of including the Right to Information Act (RTI) in the school curriculum found little local support, RTI activist Ajay Kumar, ... India nance, CIC tells govt Press Trust of India Exercising his right to information (RTI), Venkatesh Nayak had in January last year sought from the President's secretariat photo copies of all materials ... USA Animal rescuer sues University of Illinois over files on dogs, cats in research Chicago Tribune The group's supporters filed dozens of Freedom of Information Act requests as part of a national campaign to get information on animals used in labs ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 121

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information from Around the World
Issue No: 121	E - Alert	Issue Date: 16-06-2016

Pakistan Right to information and bureaucratic shenanigans The News on Sunday Ever since right to information laws have been put in place in the country, there is Canada Toronto police stations had about $16K worth of goods stolen over past 5 years Toronto Star The report, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, revealed the single biggest theft was an envelope containing more than $2,500 in cash for ... UK UK pays Â£5.5m to defunct European defence organisation BBC News The payments were revealed by a Freedom of Information request. The BBC's FOI request disclosed that payments have been made to cover residual ... USA Legal settlements at Veterans Affairs more than tripled New York Daily News ... to $338 million in 2015 from $98 million in 2011, according to Treasury Department data obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request. Bangladesh Women face more barriers to accessing information The Daily Star She said studies carried out in Liberia and Guatemala showed existence of similar inequity in the exercise of right to information between men and ... India Bad blood: 2234 get HIV after transfusion The Hindu The data was revealed by National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) in response to a Right to Information query by activist Chetan Kothari. India Six Mumbai Metro officials getting paid more than Maharashtra Chief Minister Mid-Day A Right to Information has revealed that the salaries of six Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) officials are higher than that of Maharashtra Chief ... Pakistan RTI law amendments yet to be cleared The Express Tribune PESHAWAR: A draft proposing amendments to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act (RTI) 2013 has yet to be cleared even though it has ... Canada Health ministry ordered to disclose names on OHIP billings Toronto Star In April 2014, the Star filed a freedom-of-information request, seeking names of the top 100 billers, their specialties and the amounts each received ... India Whistleblower exposed many building violations Times of India Incredibly agile and sharp, he was a seasoned Right to Information (RTI) activist who obtained incriminating documents on corruption in various state ... USA Request for Clinton emails would take 75 years to complete New York Daily News That's how long the U.S. State Department said it will take to fulfill a Freedom of Sri Lanka * Sri Lanka's Right to Information Bill in Parliament on June 21st Colombo Page June 08, Colombo: The amended Right to Information Bill will be presented in Sri Lanka parliament on 21st June, the Government announced today. Pakistan On SC order, Punjab Police directed to share with public details of its functioning The News International ... organisation and designate public information officer to respond to public queries under the Punjab Transparancy and Right to Information Act 2013. Pakistan 'Budget documents not for public viewing' The Express Tribune This was the reply of a finance ministry official when Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) executive director contacted him and ... Pakistan Right to Information Act being violated, says citizen The News International MANSEHRA: A citizen has complained that Right to Information Commission of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa constituted under the Right to Information Act in ... Bangladesh Proactive disclosure needed for easier flow of info The Daily Star The publication contains lessons learnt from the Right to Information (RTI) Camp organised at Shinghajhuli in Chowgacha upazila of Jessore last year. India Mumbai: Only 6.67% of complaints being probed by ACB, reveals RTI Daily News & Analysis This information was provided under the Right to Information Act. The ACB mainly probes officers against whom complaints of corruption have been ... India Coming soon: IGNOU to offer diploma course on RTI Hindustan Times In order to encourage people to understand societal relevance of the Right to Information Act and its nuances, the Indira Gandhi National Open ... Malta Government says 'no' to most Times of Malta requests for information Times of Malta Most of the applications by this newspaper made to the government under the Freedom of Information Act over the past months were rejected. India India lost almost 7 billion units of electricity due to water shortages this year, says report Scroll.in The document was compiled from daily outage reports of the Central electricity Authority and Right to Information replies from National Thermal Power ... UK Migrants try to sneak into Britain at a rate of one every six minutes, official figures show Daily Mail The figures â€“ released under a freedom of information request to the Daily Express â€“ do not include the estimated tens of thousands of migrants who ... India MSc students seek access to practical marks under RTI Times of India ... Institute of Science have demanded access to their practical assessment marks under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Pakistan 'Citizens Budget' document issued DAWN.com ... transparency in managing public finances as intended by the promulgation of KP Right to Information Act, 2013, and KP Right to Services Act, 2013. India Prove you are Indian, MHA asks RTI applicant before disclosing Ishrat probe panel details The New Indian Express As per Right to Information Act, 2005, only Indian citizens can seek information. Usually, a proof of citizenship is not required to file an application ... India Delhi Dealing With A Drought Of Its Own, City's Ponds And Marshes May Soon Be History Indiatimes.com Information provided by different government agencies under the Right to Information Act (RTI) reveals that a sizeable number of Delhi's ponds, lakes ... USA Celebrating Freedom of Information Act reform in Congress, and the road ahead Sunlight Foundation (blog) Monday's vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to send the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 to the White House is the culmination of a decade of ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 120

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 120	E - Alert	Issue Date: 30-05-2016

Pakistan PanamaLeaks highlights need for enactment of RTI law The News International In such a scenario, it is all the more important to strengthen democratic institutions in the country through an effective Right to Information (RTI) law. India 358 departments default on public disclosures norms: Centre Economic Times NEW DELHI: Over 350 government departments have defaulted in following norms for India Mumbai: Only 1 out of 453 BMC-aided schools follows RTE Mid-Day ... admission mandates under the RTE quota, as the authorities revealed in a response to an RTI (Right To Information) query filed by a law student. USA Virginia's Freedom of Information Advisory Council mulls changes to state's FOIA law FierceGovernmentIT Virginia's Freedom of Information Advisory Council intends to recommend changes to the state's open records and meeting law next month, reported ... UK Poppi Worthington: Council spent Â£12000 trying to keep tragic toddler's case secret Telegraph.co.uk "The original Freedom of Information request from the North West Evening Mail asked for costs related to this application. This cost was around Â£700. UK Thousands on the run after skipping court bail BBC News Figures were supplied following Freedom of Information requests to all 39 police forces in England. The BBC asked for details of arrest warrants ... 13000 suspected and convicted criminals on run after skipping bail - The Guardian Pakistan 'Approved summary not exempt from disclosure' DAWN.com ... Lahore college, seeking a direction to the provincial higher education department to give him certain information under the Right to Information Act. India After Nehru, Rajasthan erases RTI Act from textbooks The Hindu ... the Bharatiya Janata Party regime has deleted a chapter on the Right to Information (RTI) movement from the class VIII social science textbook. India Emperor Ashoka was the first to grant right to information The New Indian Express COLOMBO: Indian Emperor Ashoka was the first to conjure up and grant his subjects the Right To Information (RTI), says Indian RTI activist Venkatesh ... Pakistan RTIC asks Pesco to provide information to requester or face action The News International PESHAWAR: In a watershed decision, the chief commissioner Right to Information Commission (RTIC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has directed the ... Scotland One in every 400 people in one Scottish post code is a registered sex offender - we reveal area ... Scottish Daily Record Statistics held by police, and released under the Freedom of Information Act, show the locations of 3900 offenders across 350 post code districts. UK Council closed libraries to cut costs, then spent more to guard them The Guardian The freedom of information response shows that from 31 March, when the libraries closed, until 15 April, when the request was made, Lambeth spent ... UK UK has hundreds of deadly wild pets - and there could be one living near you Mirror.co.uk The data was obtained by the Press Association, which sent Freedom of Information requests to every licensing authority in the UK, of which 363 ... India Lost and mostly found? Police say yes but the numbers don't add up Newslaundry What's surprising is that the information has been gathered from the Delhi Police's responses to various Right to Information (RTI) queries filed by CRY ... USA What Isn't Covered by the Attorney-Client Exemption to FOIA? The Nerve South Carolina's Freedom of Information law contains two significant and frequently used exemptions. The first is for lawmakers. Having written the ... UK How bad is the housing crisis in Bristol? Nearly 10000 people waiting for just 41 council homes Bristol Post A Freedom of Information (FoI) request sent to Bristol City Council showed there was only 41 apartments available for people waiting for a roof over ... UK Britons Are Keeping Thousands of Dangerous Animals as Pets Newsweek The information was obtained through freedom of information requests sent to every council in the U.K., of which 363 replied. The Environment Agency ... Here, fluffy! Lions, cobras & crocs among 100s of dangerous animals Brits keep as UK Women's Equality Party launches new campaign to tackle revenge porn and protect women online Telegraph.co.uk A Freedom of Information request by the BBC, last month, found that children as young as 11 were becoming victims of revenge pornography - the act ... India Reports of the Lt Governor of Delhi to the Centre can be made available under RTI Act CIC Read ... Live Law ... on Wednesday ruled that reports of the Lt. Governor of Delhi to the President or the Centre can be made available under the Right to Information Act. UK Rip-off cost of parking over bank holidays Daily Mail Using Freedom of Information laws, the Mail discovered 31 councils raked in a staggering Â£735,576 in total â€“ on average Â£23,728. If this figure was ... India Fresh CIC notice to political parties chiefs over RTI on finances Economic Times NEW DELHI: CIC has issued fresh notices to the chiefs of all the six national parties for not responding to Right to Information queries on their ... India Man takes RTI route for extortion Times of India ... himself filed a complaint against the district panchayati raj officers for not providing him the information he sought under Right To Information (RTI). India RTI gets a memorial in Rajasthan The Hindu Ironic though it may sound, a unique memorial celebrating the Right to Information has come up in the Beawar town of Rajasthan â€” where the RTI ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 119

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 120	E - Alert	Issue Date: 30-05-2016

Pakistan PanamaLeaks highlights need for enactment of RTI law The News International In such a scenario, it is all the more important to strengthen democratic institutions in the country through an effective Right to Information (RTI) law. India 358 departments default on public disclosures norms: Centre Economic Times NEW DELHI: Over 350 government departments have defaulted in following norms for India Mumbai: Only 1 out of 453 BMC-aided schools follows RTE Mid-Day ... admission mandates under the RTE quota, as the authorities revealed in a response to an RTI (Right To Information) query filed by a law student. USA Virginia's Freedom of Information Advisory Council mulls changes to state's FOIA law FierceGovernmentIT Virginia's Freedom of Information Advisory Council intends to recommend changes to the state's open records and meeting law next month, reported ... UK Poppi Worthington: Council spent Â£12000 trying to keep tragic toddler's case secret Telegraph.co.uk "The original Freedom of Information request from the North West Evening Mail asked for costs related to this application. This cost was around Â£700. UK Thousands on the run after skipping court bail BBC News Figures were supplied following Freedom of Information requests to all 39 police forces in England. The BBC asked for details of arrest warrants ... 13000 suspected and convicted criminals on run after skipping bail - The Guardian Pakistan 'Approved summary not exempt from disclosure' DAWN.com ... Lahore college, seeking a direction to the provincial higher education department to give him certain information under the Right to Information Act. India After Nehru, Rajasthan erases RTI Act from textbooks The Hindu ... the Bharatiya Janata Party regime has deleted a chapter on the Right to Information (RTI) movement from the class VIII social science textbook. India Emperor Ashoka was the first to grant right to information The New Indian Express COLOMBO: Indian Emperor Ashoka was the first to conjure up and grant his subjects the Right To Information (RTI), says Indian RTI activist Venkatesh ... Pakistan RTIC asks Pesco to provide information to requester or face action The News International PESHAWAR: In a watershed decision, the chief commissioner Right to Information Commission (RTIC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has directed the ... Scotland One in every 400 people in one Scottish post code is a registered sex offender - we reveal area ... Scottish Daily Record Statistics held by police, and released under the Freedom of Information Act, show the locations of 3900 offenders across 350 post code districts. UK Council closed libraries to cut costs, then spent more to guard them The Guardian The freedom of information response shows that from 31 March, when the libraries closed, until 15 April, when the request was made, Lambeth spent ... UK UK has hundreds of deadly wild pets - and there could be one living near you Mirror.co.uk The data was obtained by the Press Association, which sent Freedom of Information requests to every licensing authority in the UK, of which 363 ... India Lost and mostly found? Police say yes but the numbers don't add up Newslaundry What's surprising is that the information has been gathered from the Delhi Police's responses to various Right to Information (RTI) queries filed by CRY ... USA What Isn't Covered by the Attorney-Client Exemption to FOIA? The Nerve South Carolina's Freedom of Information law contains two significant and frequently used exemptions. The first is for lawmakers. Having written the ... UK How bad is the housing crisis in Bristol? Nearly 10000 people waiting for just 41 council homes Bristol Post A Freedom of Information (FoI) request sent to Bristol City Council showed there was only 41 apartments available for people waiting for a roof over ... UK Britons Are Keeping Thousands of Dangerous Animals as Pets Newsweek The information was obtained through freedom of information requests sent to every council in the U.K., of which 363 replied. The Environment Agency ... Here, fluffy! Lions, cobras & crocs among 100s of dangerous animals Brits keep as UK Women's Equality Party launches new campaign to tackle revenge porn and protect women online Telegraph.co.uk A Freedom of Information request by the BBC, last month, found that children as young as 11 were becoming victims of revenge pornography - the act ... India Reports of the Lt Governor of Delhi to the Centre can be made available under RTI Act CIC Read ... Live Law ... on Wednesday ruled that reports of the Lt. Governor of Delhi to the President or the Centre can be made available under the Right to Information Act. UK Rip-off cost of parking over bank holidays Daily Mail Using Freedom of Information laws, the Mail discovered 31 councils raked in a staggering Â£735,576 in total â€“ on average Â£23,728. If this figure was ... India Fresh CIC notice to political parties chiefs over RTI on finances Economic Times NEW DELHI: CIC has issued fresh notices to the chiefs of all the six national parties for not responding to Right to Information queries on their ... India Man takes RTI route for extortion Times of India ... himself filed a complaint against the district panchayati raj officers for not providing him the information he sought under Right To Information (RTI). India RTI gets a memorial in Rajasthan The Hindu Ironic though it may sound, a unique memorial celebrating the Right to Information has come up in the Beawar town of Rajasthan â€” where the RTI ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 118

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 118	E - Alert	Issue Date: 05-04-2016

Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat declines to provide details of MPs' attendance Bangladesh News 24 hours on Dec 17, written to the Secretariat, seeking, under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the attendance records of the deputies ... India Ads without photos of CMs, ministers a waste: Govt to SC Chandigarh Tribune ... 2015, ran counter to the governments' duty to inform people about various schemes and citizens' right to information under Article 19 and the Right ... India In last 2 yrs, Muslims got only 2% of 6 PSBs' priority sector loans: RTI Times of India Answers received through Right To Information applications to half-a- dozen banks by Mumbai-based activist M A Khalid show that of all priority sector ... India RTI activist demands action against BJP MP The Hindu Right to Information activist Anil Galgali has filed an application seeking that former Mumbai Police Commissioner and current Member of Parliament ... India Demand surprises RTI applicant The Hindu An applicant under the Right to Information Act, 2005 here is taken aback by a demand made by the Public Information Officer-cum-Personal Assistant ... UK Hundreds of rapists and child abusers taken off sex offenders register BBC News More than 50% of applications - allowed under a 2010 Supreme Court ruling - were successful, a Freedom of Information request revealed. Pakistan Right to information demanded in South Asia Daily Times ISLAMABAD: A regional conference on right to information (RTI) in South Asia, titled Understanding the Silent Revolution, concluded on Thursday with ... India Modi government rejected 8.4% applications in 2014-15: Central Information Commission Economic Times ... the Narendra Modi government has rejected the most number of applications under Right to Information Act. The rate of rejection of RTI applications ... India Muslims get only 2% of PSU bank loans, shows RTI query Times of India Answers received through right to information applications to half-a- dozen banks by Mumbai-based RTI activist M A Khalid show that of all priority ... India To keep protesters at bay, babus splurge Rs 1.12 lakh on two gates Hindustan Times Hindustan Times has collected this information, including the expenses incurred, under the Right to Information Act from the DC office. As per the reply ... Pakistan Post PDA bus attack: City administration clueless about parking spaces, bus terminals The Express Tribune The information was sought through an application submitted under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013. According to a copy of the ... UK White employees of racism watchdog 'earn £3000 more annually than black colleagues' The Independent And there is a similar gap between disabled and able-bodied members of staff, according to the data released under the Freedom of Information Act. Scotland Shocking figures show 42000 patients in Scots hospitals were subjected to midnight ward moves Scottish Daily Record Figures released to Scottish Labour under freedom of information show at least 42,021 patients were moved between wards between 11pm and 6am ... India BMC study tours: Corporators spent Rs 2.59 cr from public funds in 4 years The Indian Express ... but corporators have also visited the same locations multiple times, reveals data sought by The Indian Express under Right to Information (RTI) Act. Sri Lanka Sri Lanka should not keep central bank out of RTI bill: economist EconomyNext ECONOMYNEXT - Attempts to put operations of Sri Lanka's central bank out of the ambit of a draft 'Right to Information' bill is wrong and will deny ... India He took on the big and mighty The Hindu Having taken on the high and mighty, the slain Right to Information activist Vinayak Baliga had received threat calls. The police are baffled as to why ... Pakistan Providing freedom: 'Right to information a basic right of citizens' The Express Tribune KARACHI: Right to information (RTI) is not only the need of politicians and media, but it is the collective need of everyone and is the basic right of ... Pakistan 2000 high schools without heads The News International Earlier this month, a Right to Information (RTI) activist from Centre for Peace and Development Initiative (CPDI) from Jhang district, Syed Raza, filed an ... UK Fire service bosses take home huge pay packets despite cutting front line staff Daily Mail Freedom of Information requests by the Telegraph showed more than 249 fire service employees have been rehired after retiring. At least 15 were ... Ireland Schools reports may go to 18-year-olds instead of parents Irish Times Authorities have confirmed that parents do not have an automatic right to information held by schools regarding their children once they turn 18. Sri Lanka Right to Information Bill challenged in Supreme Court Sri Lanka Guardian The petitioners stated that a Bill titled “Right to Information Bill” was placed on the Order Paper of Parliament on or about March 24, 2016. India Express RTI: 105 Lok Sabha MPs yet to declare assets The Indian Express express rti, right to information, lok sabha mp assets, mp asset declaration, Those who have not filed their details include all five MPs of the Samajwadi ... Pakistan Proactive disclosure of information The Express Tribune The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Punjab Right to Information (RTI) Commissions have to deal with the officialdom who inherited and followed the ... USA Obama undermined press freedom. Now he wants a strong media to stop Trump? The Guardian The Freedom of Information Act (Foia), signed into law in 1966, is meant to give citizens access to information about the government agencies their ... Indonesia Breakthrough: Indonesia's highest court orders release of mining data Mongabay.com It could set a precedent for other freedom of information requests in the natural resources sector, whose opacity has come under increasing assault by ... UK Sexism in schools is real – how can the Department for Education deny it? The Guardian Last year, a freedom of information request revealed that over 5,500 sexual offences in UK schools were reported to police in the previous three years, ... Sri Lanka Three petitions in SC against RTI Bill The Sunday Times Sri Lanka Three petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court this week challenging the Right To Information (RTI) Bill which was submitted to Parliament last ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 117

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 117	E - Alert	Issue Date: 09-03-2016

India Law students succeed in getting Delhi High Court RTI Rules amended Bar & Bench When the matter came up for hearing last month, the bench noted that a committee dealing with issues related to right to information had already ... UK FOI request reveals \A346 million agency wage bill at Northants County Council Northamptonshire Telegraph A Freedom of Information request has revealed Northamptonshire County Council has spent \A346 million hiring agency staff over the UK More than 85% of public tips on benefit 'frauds' are false The Guardian A freedom of information request to the Department for Work and Pensions discloses that between 2010 and 2015 the government closed 1,041,219 ... UK 216 cases of child sexual exploitation reported in Cambridgeshire from April 2013 to March 2015 Cambs Times The startling figures come from a Freedom of Information request, asking Cambridgeshire County Council how many cases of child exploitation they ... Pakistan Countering the secrecy narrative The Express Tribune Information commissions established under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act of 2013 and the Punjab Transparency and Right to ... Malta 'No' to 38% of requests for information Times of Malta Thirty-eight per cent of the requests for information submitted in terms of the Freedom of Information Act since March 2013 have not been accepted. UK Thousands of NHS doctor and nursing posts are vacant Telegraph.co.uk ... per cent and open positions for doctors had risen by 60 per cent, the figures obtained by the BBC under a Freedom of Information UK Review decides not to change Freedom of Information Act The Guardian ... added Maurice Frankel, director of the campaign, which works for the strengthening of the FOI act and advises the public on their right to information. Nigeria Nigeria: Court Orders Govt to Publish Details of Recovered Loots AllAfrica.com The judgment was sequel to a Freedom of Information suit brought by a group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability India Gold smugglers across India caught but not convicted Times of India ... a Right To Information (RTI) collected by TOI has revealed that only nine out of 1,408 persons have been convicted of smuggling the precious metal ... Pakistan Right to information and superior judiciary The News on Sunday It is largely believed that the constitutional right to information was accorded when Article 19-A was inserted into the constitution UK British government suppressing key documents on allegations of UK collusion in torture and rendition The Independent ... under freedom of information legislation. The group asked the State Department to supply files on \93the circumstances and extent of participation in ... UK Outrage over charity chief's 'complicity' in bid to limit voluntary sector lobbying The Guardian Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that William Shawcross urged a trustee on his commission to meet India FIR against Allahabad man for tampering with RTI reply Hindustan Times ... which he stated that the CRPF was exempted from providing such information under section 24(1) of chapter 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005. India Greens up in arms against renewal of quarry permits The Hindu In reply to an application given under the Right to Information Act, the district geologist has informed an applicant that the licence of quarries which had ... Pakistan Withholding answers: PIO at district health office issued show-cause notice The Express Tribune PESHAWAR: The Right to Information (RTI) Commission issued a show-cause notice to the public information officer (PIO) at the city district health ... India BJP minister 'forged' dead man's sign to sell off land in Akola Mumbai Mirror The documents, accessed through the Right to Information Act, show that Patil had signed the land transfer form along with the original seller, ... Sri Lanka Sad News: Presenting of Right to Information Bill put off Sri Lanka Guardian ( March 8, 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The government has postponed the presenting of the much-awaited Right to Information Act to ... India NIC 'one of the best' Information Commissions The Statesman With merely 0.7 per cent of the Right To Information (RTI) applications being rejected, the Nagaland Information Commission (NIC) has been rated as ... Ireland Dying man suffered vile abuse at hands of carer Irish Independent Complaint records released under freedom of information rules indicate significant issues remain in some nursing homes, despite a UK Car smoking ban farce as Met nets no prosecutions Telegraph.co.uk Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that the Metropolitan Police Force has not issued a single fine since the law came into ... Pakistan RTI law: KP Assembly urged to pass amendments The Express Tribune ... has urged the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to pass amendments proposed to right to information act, stated a press release issued on Tuesday. India Rs 5 a day: MP widow pension not even enough to buy a cup of tea The Siasat Daily As a response under Right to Information Act, the Union government stated that it has not received recommendations from any state government for ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 115

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 115	E - Alert	Issue Date: 27-01-2016

Pakistan Sensitive Information Adequately Protected In Right To Information Bill 2014 Geo News, Pakistan ISLAMABAD: Instead of tabling Right to Information Bill 2014 in the parliament which was approved by the Senate Committee on Information and ... USA Bill Clinton's library to release 500 pages of info on Donald Trump Daily Mail The National Archives, which operates the 12-year-old library, is releasing the documents in response to a Freedom of Information request. India Toll records at Mumbai-Pune expressway under reported: RTI application Daily News & Analysis ... Talegaon, Kusgaon and Shedung toll points," said Sanjay Shirodkar, who got the information under the Right to Information (RTI) application. UK Dementia sufferers face 'Russian roulette' at hospitals as thousands are discharged in middle of night Mirror.co.uk He wrote in the report: "Through Freedom of Information requests to hospitals and first-hand testimony collected from people with dementia, their ... Nepal Nepal PM Says RTI is a Fundamental Feature of a Democracy The New Indian Express KATHMANDU: Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has said that the 'Right to Information' is a fundamental feature of democracy and would ... Malta Freedom of Information request on PM's car receives partisan response about former government Malta Independent Online A Freedom of Information request filed by this paper asking how much the Prime Minister has been paid for the use of his personal car since the March ... UK Civil servants are mentally working on Brexit plans to avoid FOI, says Gus O'Donnell Telegraph.co.uk Civil servants will be secretly working on 'Brexit' plans but not writing them down to avoid having to reveal them under the Freedom of Information Act, ... Malta Freedom of Information request to publish schools' O-level tables, refused MaltaToday In so doing, Cachia backed education minister Evarist Bartolo, who had twice rejected this newspaper's Freedom of Information request on the USA Meet the heroic professor who helped uncover the Flint lead water crisis Washington Post He filed Freedom of Information Act requests for documents and e-mails of state and city officials to find out how much they knew and what they could ... India In 3 months, Delhi govt to accept RTI applications online The Indian Express As a part of its e-governance initiatives, the Delhi government will begin accepting online filing of Right to Information (RTI) applications within the next ... India Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi was shortlisted for the post of Information Commissioner Economic Times NEW DELHI: Outgoing Delhi Police Commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi was shortlisted by a top level government search committee for the post of an ... India Law students demand answer-sheets The Hindu ... to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) demanding the supply of answer-sheets to students under the Right to Information Act, 2005, ... UK Jack Straw advised client how to avoid release of emails under FOI Telegraph.co.uk Jack Straw, a member of the five-strong panel reviewing the Freedom of Information Act, advised a paying client how to avoid the release of ... UK Revenge porn: Hundreds of images of children shared on Facebook and Instagram The Independent ... which have been shared on the internet without consent, according to the response to a Freedom of Information request issued by the Telegraph. Ireland Social Protection receives 16456 suspected fraud tip-offs Irish Times The figures were released by the department in response to a request for access to records under the Freedom of Information Act. A statement from the ... India Akhilesh's bollywood bonanza: Tax cut leads to Rs 14-cr loss The Indian Express According to the information obtained by The Indian Express under the Right To Information Act, two more films this month have been exempted from ... UK At least 200 children, some as young as 11, have been victims of 'revenge porn' in past nine months Telegraph.co.uk The true scale of the problem, which has been revealed for the first time in a series of Freedom of Information requests by The Telegraph, comes India "Illegal" sand mining is rampant on common village and government land in South Gujarat, reveals ... COUNTERVIEW A recent reply to a Right to Information (RTI) plea suggests that the Gujarat government has refused to comply by a Supreme Court direction India Nobody's house that is everybody's Calcutta Telegraph But even the Centre appears clueless who has the rights to the Lutyens Delhi mansion, as reflected in its response to a Right to Information query from ... UK US air crews involved in friendly-fire deaths of four British soldiers 'had different maps' Telegraph.co.uk An internal review of the Army's 13-year war in Afghanistan, released under freedom of information laws, suggested that “a lack of common mapping” ... Pakistan RTI bill to be re-evaluated as per new security dynamics Pakistan Observer Monday, January 18, 2016 - Islamabad—Federal Government has constituted a committee to re-evaluate purview of the Federal Right to Information ... Pakistan Out of her depth: Environmental science grad appointed as chemistry lecturer The Express Tribune The appointment was uncovered following a complaint submitted to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information (RTI) office by a resident of ... UK Hundreds of children arrested for crimes such as rape, assault, arson and fraud Mirror.co.uk Two accepted cautions for rape, while four went to court, according to the figures supplied by police forces under Freedom of Information laws. UK Chauffeur-Driven Cars Carried Only Ministerial Papers Around 2000 Times Despite 'Red Box ... Huffington Post UK A Freedom of Information request tabled by The Huffington Post UK has revealed the full extent of the practice of using taxpayer-funded vehicles Pakistan Necessary modifications: 'Changes in RTI law key for effective implementation' The Express Tribune CGPA, in a press statement, noted the K-P Right to Information legislation was one of a kind and stood among the best laws in the world. However ... India Mumbai man claims custody of Rs 500 crore Wipro shares The Indian Express Baksh told The Indian Express that the office of the Custodian of Enemy Property has declined his Right to Information (RTI) application seeking Pakistan Institutions Funded By Punjab Govt Claim Immunity From RTI Law Geo News, Pakistan ISLAMABAD: A number of government-funded institutions are claiming immunity from the Punjab's Right to Information (RTI) law to avoid public ... USA New US freedom of information law aimed at fixing 'broken' system The Register An effort to expand and simplify the "broken" freedom of information requests system in America has passed the US House of Representatives USA How To Remain Anonymous If You Win The $1.5 Billion Powerball Lottery Forbes State lottery commissions are state agencies, and as such, all of their records are subject to the Freedom of Information Act, which makes it easy for a ... India Techie uses RTI Act to expose cops of kidnapping, extortion Pune Mirror Atechie used the Right to Information (RTI) Act to expose officials of the Karnataka police and even managed to secure acourt order charging three ... Pakistan Ensuring transparency: Civil society urges government pass Right to Information Bill The Express Tribune KARACHI: The Coalition on Transparency and Access to Information (C-TAI) undertook yet another attempt to convince the government to pass the ... India 5 children die every month due to HIV The Asian Age A Right to Information (RTI) application filed by The Asian Age has revealed these statistics. Mr Tamang said, “The government provides medicines for ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 114

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 114	E - Alert	Issue Date: 31-12-2015

Pakistan Punjab slow in RTI enforcement: Commission The News International ISLAMABAD: Punjab was quick to pass Right to Information (RTI) law taking cue from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but the provincial government is ... India National Herald plot has a controversial neighbour Times of India Activist Anil Galgali, who procured this information using the Right to Information Act (RTI), claimed the India 13 officers fined Rs 25k each for delaying reply under RTI Times of India MEERUT: Taking note of the delay in providing information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission ... Australia Mark Dreyfus wins case over George Brandis' refusal to release ministerial diary Sydney Morning Herald Federal Attorney-General George Brandis' refusal to release his ministerial diary went against a key objective of the Freedom of Information Act and ... USA U.S. Officials Warned of Mali Terror Strike Prior to November Attack The Intercept The December 2013 State Department Antiterrorism Assistance report, obtained by The Intercept via the Freedom of Information Act, characterized the ... USA Virginia Tech researcher accuses state health officials of "hiding" data on Flint's water Michigan Radio The documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request are available online. Marc Edwards says newly obtained internal documents ... UK Scandal of the hospitals raking in £3m a year in parking charges Daily Mail New Freedom of Information figures show Oxford University Hospitals took the most in parking charges last year, at £3.7 million. The John Radcliffe ... UK Scotland Yard spent nearly £5m on three child abuse inquiries in 2015 The Guardian The cost of Operation Midland and two other police investigations was revealed in a freedom of information request by the Guardian UK Killers and sex offenders are being set free by MISTAKE Daily Mail The figures, which will be embarrassing for Justice Secretary Michael Gove, were released under the Freedom of Information Act. India Sexual harassment panel of Chandigarh Police met only 5 times in 2 years The Indian Express According to the information sought under the Right To Information (RTI) Act, an Internal Complaints Committee was constituted on December 24, ... India Mumbai: Rich tributes paid to RTI warrior Narayan Verma Daily News & Analysis Narayan Varma may be an unknown name to many in the city, but in the activists' circle, he was the man who made the Right To Information (RTI) Act ... Pakistan Your right to information The News on Sunday Peoples' right to information had already become a popular statecraft both in developed and developing countries. Moreover, the commissions on ... UK Majority of suspects Tasered by police are mentally ill, figures show The Independent The latest statistics were released in response to a Freedom of Information request made by the website The Justice Gap. It revealed that in 67 per ... UK Revealed: the Liverpool streets where you are most likely to get a parking fine Liverpool Echo A road outside the Royal Liverpool Hospital has seen the most illegal parking fines slapped on drivers. A Freedom of Information (FoI) request showed ... UK Prince Charles can legally set off nukes: UK study The Indian Express ... University, studied UK legislation and government archives and deployed the Freedom of Information Act to unveil the legal privileges of Charles. UK The 1700 overseas drivers let off rushing fines on ONE street as a result of police say it's too ... The Times (subscription) ... were by foreign drivers, only the British motorists were pursued for payment, documents released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal. India Less than 12 percent OBCs employed in Central government, reveals RTI Times of India ... justice and 48 departments held back the information sought by Chennai based scientist E Muralidharan under the Right to Information Act. Among ... UK Members of the public to get powers to vet charity spending of public money Telegraph.co.uk Charities that administer millions of pounds of public funds will be subject to Freedom of Information laws in wake of Kids Company collapse, under ... UK Choristers and church bell ringers on list of people who had backgrounds checked Daily Mail A series of Freedom of Information by the Manifesto Club determined that between 2014 and 2015 there were 199 Disclosure and Barring Service ... Australia Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young in secret debt plan The Australian Documents obtained by The Weekend Australian under Freedom of Information laws show that as of December 15, Senator Hanson-Young had the ... UK British taxpayer payouts to Afghans and Iraqis total £25m after military action Daily Mail ... out has hit almost £20 million, while Afghans have received £5.3m, a Freedom of Information request has revealed. (pictured: British army in Iraq). India RTI reveals govt keeps no record of stamp papers Chandigarh Tribune The fact has been revealed by a Right to Information (RTI) activist Sukhwinder Singh after demanding the record of some stamp papers. India 20 lakh cases pending in courts The Hindu The data on the pendency of cases was obtained by The Hindu invoking provisions of the Right to Information Act. An analysis of the data indicated ... India 356 cellphones stolen in '15, no data on recovery The Indian Express According to data obtained from the office of Police Commissioner under the Right to Information Act (RTI), only two to five mobile phones theft cases ... UK Revealed: NHS hospitals investigate one in seven deaths of vulnerable patients The Guardian Data released to the Guardian under freedom of information laws show that hospitals in England have investigated just 209 out of 1,436 deaths of ... Pakistan KP Police fined Rs50,000 for violating RTI The News International ISLAMABAD: KP's Right to Information (RTI) Commission has imposed Rs50,000 fine on the provincial police department for blocking access to ... UK Firefighters have had to free almost 2000 obese people from their homes Daily Mail From January 2013 to May this year, emergency crews were called to 1,866 such incidents, according to a Freedom of Information request by The ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 113

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 113	E - Alert	Issue Date: 16-12-2015

USA Freedom of Information Failures in Virginia WHSV Thirteen Virginia newspapers tested Freedom of Information Act compliance to see if officials were actually disclosing documents as mandated by law. Pakistan Citizens' right: Information commission says govt support missing The Express Tribune The commission was established in March 2014 – a year after the passage of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act in 2013. India CIC turns down over 11000 appeals for insufficient documents Economic Times ... Central Information Commission (CIC) so far this year as they were not accompanied by the required documents under the Right to Information Act, ... USA FBI now allows Freedom of Information Act requests to be made online Silicon Valley Business Journal The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently began beta testing of eFOIA, a new online system that allows the public to make FOIA requests for FBI ... Sri Lanka Right to Acces to Information Bill to be gazetted shortly The Sunday Times Sri Lanka A Right to Acces to Information Bill which was approved by Cabinet yesterday (December 2) is expected to be gazetted shortly, said Jayampathy ... Pakistan Punjab bureaucrats render RTI toothless The News International ISLAMABAD: The much touted Right to Information (RTI) law in Punjab is becoming a toothless piece of legislation as the top government officials are ... Switzerland Court upholds researchers' right to privacy swissinfo.ch The public's right to information does not supersede researchers' right to privacy, the Swiss Federal Court has ruled. At issue was a dispute between ... India Haryana: In 2 weeks, BJP govt spends Rs 17 cr on advertisements singing its praises The Indian Express As per information procured under the Right to Information Act, the Haryana government spent the money between October 21 and November 5, 2015. India RTI query on PMO staff, expenditure on bungalow virtually stonewalled Times of India Mumbai: The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has virtually stonewalled a Right to Information (RTI) query seeking details of staff and expenditure at the ... Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Proposes Strong Right to Information Act Sri Lanka Guardian ( December 16, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Sri Lankan Cabinet has approved a draft Right to Information (RTI) Act which, if passed into ... Pakistan In KP: Who needs a Right to Information Act if it prevents access to information? PakistanHerald In February 2015, Peshawar journalist Aziz Buneri submitted a request to the KP's Right to Information Commission (RTIC) to access information on ... India Law to protect RTI activists in pipeline: CM Devendra Fadnavis Daily News & Analysis ... state government was in the process of bringing in a legislation to provide protection and security to Right to Information (RTI) activists in the state. USA Freedom of Information Act requests in 2015 included parking ticket records, contracts for Jack ... The Oklahoma Daily One of the most important tools for The Daily and for journalists in Oklahoma is the Freedom of Information Act. The law forces state institutions, ... USA State Department sued over refugee plan The Hill A conservative legal watchdog is suing the State Department to obtain documents about its work with aid organizations to resettle refugees in the ... India Review civil service prelims paper for a fee Times of India INDORE: Curious to see their evaluated answer sheet, nearly 60,000 out of total 2.45 lakh aspirants have paid a small fee for checking their optical ... UK Police make one arrest over illegal hoverboards as British Airways bans them Daily Mail Just one other person has been arrested for illegally using a hoverboard, according to Freedom of India India RTI solves water woes, query withdrawn The Indian Express While the issue of implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act remains a thorn for authorities, the Act is apparently helping citizens in solving ... USA DC woman seeking conviction-rate data isn't deterred by cost of request Washington Post ... for the information, which she requested under the Freedom of Information Act. The law is designed to help citizens get data and documents from the ... UK Whitehall failing to disclose gifts and trips accepted by ministers, despite David Cameron's pledge The Independent Failure to deliver transparency will only heighten fears that senior cabinet ministers are seeking to weaken Freedom of Information (FOI) laws to make ... India Smart city list is biased, says Prithviraj Chavan The Indian Express “Information sought from state and Centre under the Right to Information Act clearly exposes the manipulations done to promote certain cities,” Chavan ... UK South Somerset District Council rapped for Freedom of Information processing failures Western Gazette John Snelling, a keen activist for the Save East Coker campaign, submitted a series of Freedom of Information requests regarding the council's Local ... USA Religious Colleges Obtain Waivers to Law That Protects Transgender Students New York Times The Column said its list was drawn from documents received through a Freedom of Information Act request, which included exemption applications ... Pakistan Transparency without accountability fails to improve attendance of MNAs The News International ISLAMABAD: Although a Right to Information request forced the National Assembly Secretariat to open the attendance record of MNAs, this ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 112

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 112	E - Alert	Issue Date: 30-11-2015

India In the last 10 years, CTU buses killed 121 people in accidents The Indian Express According to information procured under the Right to Information Act, the CTU buses have been involved in 246 road accidents, killing a total of 121 ... India CIC returns 9000 RTI appeals due to 'deficiency' Daily News & Analysis The already frustrating process of getting information through the Right to Information Act has hit another road block. And that is of returning of the ... India Sangrur council fails to place use of Rs 8 crore on record Hindustan Times In April this year, BJP leader Punia filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the local body authority wanting to know the details ... UK Flat rate fees for Freedom of Information requests would be 'disproportionate' Telegraph.co.uk Introducing flat rate fees for people to make requests under the Freedom of Information Act would be "disproportionate", the UK's data watchdog has ... USA Child sex offenders largest group of inmates in military prisons – report RT With information obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, AP uncovered that out of the 1,233 inmates in US military prisons, 61 percent were ... India Ministers Furnish Own Homes at Government's Expense The New Indian Express According to documents obtained under the Right to Information Act (RTI), 40 functionaries have spent `2.71 crore of tax-payers' money. Italy Vatican to try five, including reporters, over leaks scandal Reuters "The Italian constitution guarantees the right to information and expression but the Vatican is a state with no right to information," he said. "If they think ... Pakistan Raising concerns: 'RTI bill is similar version of old Sindh Freedom of Information law' The Express Tribune KARACHI: The Coalition on Transparency and Access to Information (C-TAI) criticised the information ministry's draft for the Right to Information (RTI) ... India RTI blows lid off encroachment nexus in Ludhiana Times of India LUDHIANA: A piece of information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has blown the lid off the alleged nexus between some building ... UK Why governments think that freedom of information is for nincompoops The Conversation UK Tony Blair went from being a champion of transparency in 1997 to calling himself a “nincompoop” for passing a Freedom of Information Act in 2010. India Enforcement of RTI law in Punjab being impeded The News International ... has complained that non-serious attitude of public bodies is impeding the implementation of Right to Information (RTI) law in the province, urging the ... India Law students move Delhi HC seeking harmonization of HC's RTI Rules with RTI Act Bar & Bench ... Delhi High Court in order to bring about compatibility between the Delhi High Court RTI Rules and the Rules of the Right to Information Act, 2005. India Maharashtra government spent no money on advertising RTI Act, reveals RTI Daily News & Analysis ... the Right To Information (RTI) Act. As per an application filed by Pune-based activist S Repale, the government spent no money at all on advertising ... India NCC cadets exploit loophole to bag medical seats The Hindu Documents furnished under the RTI (Right to Information) Act have revealed the ease in getting admission to medical seats by “parachuting” to a ... UK Number of harmful mistakes in Scotland's ailing NHS has almost doubled under the SNP Express.co.uk Following a Freedom of Information request, 12 of Scotland's 14 health boards revealed details of 152,599 adverse events in the 12 months to ... UK Malnutrition causing thousands of hospital admissions BBC News Freedom of Information (FOI) figures show a rise of 259 between the 43 trusts compared with three years ago. A food bank charity said it feared ... India Shocking: Exchequer pays Rs 30 lac/month for Karnataka Governor's luxurious lifestyle Oneindia A Right to Information (RTI) petition has brought the expenses of the Rajbhavan into the spotlight. The RTI papers are in the possession of OneIndia. UK How students use FOI to investigate their universities The Guardian These are just some of the ways that students are using freedom of information (FOI) requests to find out eye-opening facts about their universities' ... UK Appeals Court Rules Memos on Targeted Killings Can Stay Classified New York Times A Freedom of Information Act lawsuit forced the Obama administration last year to reveal a secret memo that authorized the killing of the ... India 2500 vehicles rusting with Gurgaon police Hindustan Times ... cases or accidents, are rusting away at different police stations in the city, according to a reply given by the police under the Right to Information Act. Pakistan Effective steps bring dengue deaths to zero in KP so far The News International For next two years, not a single dengue related death was reported officially, according to documents released under the KP right to information law. Pakistan Revealing govt payments to lawyers not in public interest: Ministry The News International Incidentally, a Right to Information activist, Zahid Abdullah had filed a similar kind of request in 2008 seeking details of the lawyers engaged from ... India 5 use RTI for 'blackmailing' builders, booked ETRealty.com Police have booked five men from Kharar for allegedly procuring information about anomalies in building projects in Punjab using Right to Information ... India cases, reveals RTI Daily News & Analysis The varsity has already spent crores to fight them, revealed a reply to the Right to Information (RTI) application filed by Pune-based Vihar Durve. Pakistan CGPA scorecard reveals poor implementation of KP RTI Law Business Recorder (press release) (registration) (blog) Nowshera and D I Khan have turned out to be the best performers in implementation of the KP Right to Information (RTI) Laws while Chitral and Upper ... India CIC and state information commissions want a legal filter in RTI act Economic Times ... commissions want the government to introduce a legal filter in the Right to Information Act to sift out vexatious, flippant and frivolous applications. India Couple donates land to 13 homeless families onmanorama Idamaruku identified the homeless families in his village through a Right to Information application. He is donating prime property with road access ... India RTI helps retired professor get gold medal after 44 years Times of India Last year, on the advice of some friends, he filed an application under Right to Information (RTI) in LU seeking information on whether medals can be ... UK Mail on Sunday wins battle to expose Prince's secret eco lobbying of Ministers Daily Mail ... environmental issues have been covered up by the Government – despite the Freedom of Information watchdog ruling they should be made public. India Role Model Disabled Person Award presented to Diethono Nakhro from Nagaland thenortheasttoday.com She also actively uses the Right to Information Act to bring attention to the complete lack of accessibility in government offices and other public places ... India RTI query has exposed Rs100 cr scam in GHMC' Times of India The irregularity , according to party general secretary G S Sambi Reddy came to light when he sought information under the Right to Information (RTI) ... Pakistan Right to information, wrongs of implementation The Express Tribune The first-ever right to information law in the country was promulgated in the shape of the Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002 by a military dictator, ... Pakistan Judicial academy asked to share details of promotions Dawn LAHORE: The Punjab Information Commission (PIC) has dismissed an objection petition, asking the Punjab Judicial Academy (PJA) to provide
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 111

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 111	E - Alert	Issue Date: 18-11-2015

Editorial: Greetings from the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI). Transparency is a beloved child of politicians when they are out of power. When politicians come into power, they disown the very child they are so fond of when they are bereft of power. This is paradoxical but understandable when seen in the context of political economy of elections. The cost of competing as a candidate for provincial or national assembly seats has skyrocketed as now candidates spend tens of millions in elections. Political parties return the favour by allocating development funds for schemes identified by the members of assemblies. This is where profit is allegedly made on the investment carried out during elections. This is, perhaps, the reason why there is no real devolution of power at the local level and elected representatives are more interested in carrying out development schemes than spending time on legislation. Politicians do not like transparency because it brings out dichotomies between what they say for public consumption and what they actually end up practising. One such dichotomy has been brought to the fore recently by Centre for Governance and Public Accountability, (CGPA). Addressing a press conference in KPK’s capital city of Peshawar on October 24, 2013, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief had said that MPAs of KPK assembly would not get development funds. However, CGPA has now established through information received under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013 that PTI led KP government has allocated development funds to the tune of 8.5 billion for MPAs. No wonder, there is political consensus across the board on the need for these development funds for elected representatives. One can imagine why PMLN is dragging its feet on the issue of enacting effective right to information law at the federal level. It is through the use of right to information laws that people start asking awkward questions like how public funds are allocated and spent. No right to information law, no awkward questions. Happy reading, CPDI India Another Ink Attack: Shiv Sena Workers Assault RTI Activist With Iron Rod, Blacken His Face Scoopwhoop Shiv Sena workers on Friday assaulted and blackened the face of a Right to Information activist at Latur in Maharashtra's Marathwada region, after he … India RTI needs to move beyond request driven process, says prominent activist Venkatesh Nayak ... NYOOOZ ... at Indian Merchants Chamber on FridayThe Right to Information Act needs to move beyond the request driven process of seeking information to suo ... Pakistan Dilly-dallying on Right to Information law deplored The News International ISLAMABAD: Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI) has lamented the failure of federal government in introducing Right to Information ... India Officers, clerks to compete over RTI knowledge Deccan Herald Babus and clerks in the Delhi government are being put to test over their knowledge of the Right to Information Act in a move to encourage ... UK Thousands of infertile couples denied IVF because of amounts paid to clinics Daily Mail ... to IVF clinics for a single IVF 'cycle' varies fivefold – from £1,300 to more than £6,000, according to responses to Freedom of Information requests. UK/USA Ministers were told to destroy key evidence which showed Iraq War was ILLEGAL Daily Mail American officials have finally released 13 pages of heavily censored documents in response to a Freedom of Information request made by The Mail ... India 5 ministers, 37 MLAs yet to furnish asset details Chandigarh Tribune This has been revealed in the response to an application filed under the Right to Information Act (RTI) by advocate Nadimuddin from Kashipur recently ... UK Freedom of Information Act misused by media to create stories, says Grayling The Guardian A Conservative cabinet minister has signalled a crackdown on the “misuse” of freedom of information requests as a means of researching stories for ... Australia Taxi industry urged to improve its customer service to compete against Uber Courier Mail New Right to Information documents, published by the Department of State Growth, show Rene Hidding warned the industry about the emergence of ... UK Civil Servants Support CHARGING For Freedom Of Information Requests Breitbart News The majority of Britain's civil servants back charging the public for Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, with some even favouring restrictions on the ... Ireland DCAL took 552 days to respond to Freedom of Information request Belfast Newsletter One less-than-transparent Stormont department took more than a year-and-a-half to respond to a Freedom of Information request, it has emerged ... India SDM gets construction of shops stopped Chandigarh Tribune ... on a complaint filed by Right to Information RTI and social activist Ajay Uniyal, here today got stopped the alleged illegal construction of 12 shops by ... USA Attorney Attacks Montana's New 'Top Secret' Info Rules Newstalkkgvo But the new filing system has received blowback from freedom of Information attorney Mike Meloy, who has bend handling FOIA requests in Montana ... USA Search warrants reveal discovery of camera, photos in Dylann Roof case Charleston Post Courier Fifth Circuit Judge Robert Hood released the search warrant returns Tuesday in response to a S.C. Freedom of Information Act request from The Post ... USA The only thing more absurd than the $43 million gas station in Afghanistan is why we don't know ... Quartz That incident was part of the release of data on $2 billion in discretionary spending in Afghanistan after ProPublica filed a freedom of information act ... USA IRS use of 'Stingray' devices to track cellphones sparks Senate inquiry USA TODAY The newspaper cited documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. Lawmakers said they were unaware that the IRS had the devices ... Pakistan Govt yet to pass Right to Information Bill The News International ISLAMABAD: Despite passage of almost one-and-a-half years and various assurances on different public forums including the parliament, the ... Pakistan Expenditure patterns: Govt allocates development funds worth Rs8.5b to MPAs The Express Tribune The details were obtained by CGPA under the K-P Right to Information Act 2013. Pakistan The News staffer wins RTI award The News International ISLAMABAD: Investigative journalist of The News, Waseem Abbasi has won the annual RTI (Right To Information) Champion Award for his work on ... India Select three information commissioners in six weeks: Delhi HC Economic Times NEW DELHI: With the Central Information Commission facing a huge pendency of cases, the Delhi High Court on Friday directed the centre to finalise ... India CIC returns 12% of pleas The Hindu An analysis by Right to Information activists confirms that the Central Information Commission is returning requests for information at a high rate to the ... Mexico Information freedom new era for Mexico Mexico News Daily Thanks to its freedom of information laws Mexico has come to be regarded as an exemplar of transparency with a healthy culture of investigative ... Canada Lack of information on bridge concerns MLA Delta-Optimist According to Huntington, a freedom of information request, filed last year by Delta South constituent and Optimist columnist Ian Robertson, requested ... USA Ronald Koven, foreign correspondent and media freedom defender, dies at 80 Washington Post Simon also credited Mr. Koven with identifying in the early days of the Internet the need to ensure freedom of information and expression online. UK Child abuse cases delayed by police backlog BBC News More than half of the 40 UK police forces that responded to a Freedom of Information request from the programme reported delays of at least three ... India No passport for PM's spouse, as she has no marriage certificate The Hindu Earlier, she had applied under the Right to Information (RTI) seeking details of her security and order of the government of India to provide her security ... UK Theresa May has to recognise that questions over the Bradford fire disaster will not go away The Independent ... that the West Yorkshire Police force seemed breathtakingly indifferent to when I asked them, through a Freedom of Information request this summer, ... India RTI Reveals Lies by Corporation Officials The New Indian Express ... a blind eye to unauthorised buildings in Sowcarpet, and often provide false information under the Right to Information Act to shield illegal structures. UK Labour criticises plans to exclude universities from FOI requests The Guardian Government plans to exempt universities from freedom of information (FOI) requests have been condemned by Labour. The government's higher ... Ghana Ghana Right to Information Bill to be passed next year – Majority Leader Ghana Business News Mr. Alban S.K. Bagbin, Majority Leader in Parliament, has said the Right to Information (RTI) Bill would be passed in the first quarter of next year. India MEA denies information under RTI Act Daily Excelsior Srinagar Nov 10: The Union Government denied information under Right to Information Act about those who have been denied passport since 1990 ... India Palaszczuk government unable to fill science, technology vacancy The Australian Right to Information documents obtained by The Australian reveal a $10,000 international recruitment campaign was launched in July after a fruitless ... India Study finds MP govt depts lag on RTI proactive disclosure front Hindustan Times ... schemes and administrative set-up, as required under the proactive disclosure rule of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, a web research conducted ... India City police register fifth offence in a row against Mukesh Sahu Times of India Nagpur: Right to information (RTI) Act activist Mukesh Sahu has been booked in the fifth case on the trot by the city police. The latest case, charging ... USA In freedom of information triumph, Chicago police misconduct complaint records now online Chicago Reader Tuesday morning's publication of the records is a triumph for freedom of information India Maharashtra leads in number of custodial death cases The Hindu After several rounds to Mantralaya, letters to the Chief Minister and scores of Right to Information pleas to know the stage of investigation, the State ... UK Sir Jeremy Heywood wants to limit our Freedom of Information Act Daily Mail ... and added: 'The prospect of restricting citizens' right to information following the commission's review [into FoI] sends the wrong signal to developing ... India No need to impose fine in every case: HC Bangalore Mirror ... need to impose a fine every time there is a delay by a competent officer in issuing information under the Right To Information (RTI) Act. An education ... UK Daily Mail comments on why the public sector fears the Freedom of Information act Daily Mail But how ironic that those same ministers are hatching plans to curtail the Freedom of Information Act, without which this vital investigation into how our ... India UT education dept falls short of tabla instructors in schools Hindustan Times As per information received under Right to Information (RTI) in September this year, only eight local schools have table instructors. These include: ... India Talks to end strike cost FTII Rs 4 lakh The Indian Express A Right to Information (RTI) plea filed by The Indian Express has revealed that the institute also spent Rs 4.04 lakh on travelling, food and lodging ... India State, Centre 'delaying' compensation for Bhopal Gas tragedy survivors: NGOs Economic Times ... Pensionbhogee Sangharsh Morcha, Balkrishna Namdeo, said that documents obtained under Right to Information (RTI) Act show that the experts of ... Bangladesh Changing Contours of RTI The Daily Star The Right to Information (RTI) or Freedom of Information (FOI) regimes evolved globally following the end of World War II premised upon people's ... India Bhopal: PMO conducts RTI first appeal hearing over telephone Hindustan Times In a trendsetting example, the Prime Minister's office conducted hearing for a right to information (RTI) first appeal by an applicant from Bhopal on ... India Mumbai University VC Deshmukh fails to clear LLB exam Moneylife ... to clear his LLB examination, he appeared before being appointed as the VC, reveals a reply received under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. USA Chicago Police May Have Spied On Black And Left-Wing Activists Chicagoist The Sun-Times, based on internal CPD documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, argues otherwise. At its core, this is a controversy ... USA Illinois Lottery sales plummet to lowest point of year after payout delays Fox News The high was about $260 million in March, according to data obtained in a freedom of information request. ADVERTISEMENT. The figures confirm ... India Positive trend: 60 percent of children adopted in India over three years were girls Firstpost These three states accounted for 40% of female adoptions, according to information obtained under the Right to Information by Bangalore-based ... India 301 Doc Posts Vacant in 9 Dts: RTI The New Indian Express According to the data compiled from Right to Information (RTI) responses over the last 10 months, the backward Ramanathapuram district topped the ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 110

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 110	E - Alert	Issue Date: 30-10-2015

Editorial: Greetings from the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI). PMLN seems disinterested in transparency and right to information both at federal and at provincial levels. At the provincial level, PMLN Punjab government kept on dragging its feet on the issue of releasing funds for Punjab Information Commission. These days, it is not providing staff to Punjab Information Commission and neither it is approving service rules so that the commission could hire staff on its own. The delaying tactics being employed by PMLN will give credence to what is already believed by many that the party was never interested in enacting the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013 in the first place and that it was forced to follow suit of PTI when it enacted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013. This assertion gets strengthened by its track record on right to information legislation at the federal level also. How can the party justify delay in presenting in the parliament right to information bill approved by the Senate Committee on Information and Broadcasting as long as on July 15, 2014? Clearly, PMLN will have to walk the talk and soon and take concrete steps if it wants to convince those keeping track of right to information legislation in the country that the party is serious about good governance. Happy reading, CPDI Cyprus Ministry defends planned freedom of information law Cyprus Mail Cyprus aspires to have among the best possible freedom of information (FOI) legislation in the EU, Justice Minister of Nicolaou has said, and place ... USA NYPD won't disclose what it does with its secret military-grade X-ray vans Boing Boing The department denied a Freedom of Information Law request by an investigative journalist at ProPublica asking for records revealing the vans' public ... India 2 registrar's fined Rs 2 lakh each for delayed RTI responses Times of India A statement issued by office of the state information commission said the fine has been imposed on the registrars for violating the Right To Information ... Canada Liberals and NDP Pledge Access to Information Reform Canada News Wire It is encouraging that the right to information has become an issue in the campaign and that Liberal and NDP parties have pledged to take action to ... India SIC's annual report refuses to give suggestions The Indian Express For the first time since the passage of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the annual report prepared by the State Information Commission (SIC) has ... India Man seeks RTI to prove he married once and not twice Times of India ... Commission (UPSIC) is witnessing a curious trend of family members seeking information about each other using Right to Information (RTI). Most of ..The USA CIA pressed to disclose secret drone docs The Hill The ACLU filed an original Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request in January of 2010, and then sued three months later when the government did ... Australia Turnbull given ok to use Slack, Wickr iT News He denied it could negatively affect freedom of information requests. Turnbull has previously spoken of his fondness for messaging app Wickr USA The 10 Oldest Women in the Illinois Department of Corrections System Huffington Post In 2014, there were more than 7,500 inmates over the age of 50, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections' annual report. Both in Illinois India A weapon for justice & equality Chandigarh Tribune SOME English words, or rather abbreviations, have set up home in rural India. They have done more. They propel life there. The most India The After cutting, civic agencies wash their hands of roads Times of India HUBBALLI: Finally, the reason behind bad roads is out. A Right To Information (RTI) query on this brought to light the fact that no authority cares to India Visa And Tax Travails Of Foreign Artists In India Mondaq News To get this clarified, we filed a Right to Information application with the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding the conundrum faced by foreign nationals ... UK Parents fined £3m a year for term-time family holidays Telegraph.co.uk Over the past year, across 98 councils who responded to the Freedom of Information Act, 86,010 fines were issued in 2014/15 for pupil absence UK NHS spending millions on larger equipment for obese patients The Guardian The data, obtained by Sky News through freedom of information requests, reveal UK wine collection 'was drunk at Tony Abbott's farewell party' Daily Mail The government officials' explanation did not satisfy Labor Senator Penny Wong who requested the receipts with a Freedom of Information request ... India RTI activist to be rewarded for exposing toll overcharge Times of India Mumbai: In a first-of-its-kind case since the enactment of the landmark Right to Information Act more than a decade ago, a state-run enterprise Germany German Bundestag goes to court to keep lobbyists secret Deutsche Welle After an unsuccessful freedom of information act request, Parliament Watch filed a lawsuit at a Berlin court, which ruled in its favor in June this year. UK How Cherie Blair's law firm lobbied Britain on behalf of the Maldives' government Telegraph.co.uk However documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show how Mrs Blair's firm, Omnia Strategy, had already held three meetings with ... India FSL 'finds' 4 corporators' names in Thane builder' suicide note Times of India It is learnt that the builder had declared that he was tired and frustrated by their harassment and extortion and misuse of the Right to Information (RTI) ... India Meet 77-year-old V Santhanam, he fights against corruption and helps the needy Times of India Two murderous attempts on his life and threats have not stopped 77-year-old social activist V Santhanam from fighting against corruption and pushing Canada BC government gets an F in freedom of information audit CBC.ca An organization representing Canada's newspapers says the B.C. government is failing to respond to Freedom of Information Act requests in a timely ... UK Freedom of Information: The stories you would never have read without the Act that is now under ... Birmingham Mail Just three out of a million reasons why the Freedom of Information Act must not be watered down. A consultation has been launched into the Act, ... Australia Immigration Department bears brunt of flood of freedom of information requests The Canberra Times The federal bureaucracy and ministers' offices have been bombarded with 35,550 freedom of information requests in the past year and one agency, ... India Info panel turning down more RTI requests now The Hindu The Central Information Commission has admitted fewer and fewer cases every month this year, under the Right to Information Act, data show, and ... India PMO directs CPIO to furnish Vyapam information, documents sought under RTI Zee News Bhopal: After "initially" denying information related to Vyapam scam under Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Prime Minister's Office has now directed ... India Banning publication of CMs and governors picture in government ad is wrong, Centre tells SC Times of India "The judgement fails to appreciate that government advertisements fulfill the public right to information about matters of public interest, of public ... India 10 ways in which RTI has changed the functioning of govt, officials The Indian Express The Right to Information Act was implemented on October 12, 2005. Over the last decade, it has transformed the functioning of the government ... USA Senators, Let Us Read Your Letters New York Times That's because the Freedom of Information Act does not apply to the legislative branch. When Congress enacted the F.O.I.A. in 1966, it was after the ... Australia Dick defends staffer's $160000 Health appointment offered without resume Brisbane Times The Opposition came armed to question time with right-to-information documents which they said showed Robert Hoge, a former staffer for Bligh ... India RTI: After 4-yr struggle, girl to get dad's pay slip Times of India ... in 2011 when she sought the salary slip of her father, Mukesh Agarwal, who works in revenue department at Gwalior, under Right to Information Act. India RTI empowers the citizen, but threats can make Act opaque Hindustan Times After a decade of the implementation of the national Right To Information (RTI) Act, it is necessary to reflect on some of its key achievements and the ... India Dance troupe returns Rs 8L to CM's relief fund Times of India A query filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by activist Anil Galgali found that Rs 8 lakh was transferred from the fund to Sachivalaya ... UK UK police warn more than 1900 people of death threats in four years – The Guardian Police have warned nearly 2,000 people their lives were under threat in the last four years, according to figures. There have been at least 1,948 "threat ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 109

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 109	E - Alert	Issue Date: 19-10-2015

Editorial: Greetings from the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI). The interplay between the forces vying for transparent and open functioning of government and those led by bureaucracy trying to perpetuate the pervasive culture of secrecy is getting interesting. This interplay is nothing new but the intensity is quite palpable this time raising hopes of those who have always maintained that this culture of secrecy is one of the leading causes of widespread corruption and lack of public accountability in the country. There have been some excellent decisions by Supreme Court and some sporadic decisions by Ombudsman aimed at countering shenanigans of bureaucracy. However, the text countering bureaucratic pretexts and apologies for conducting business of government in secrecy and the persistency with which it is being generated by Punjab Information Commission has force the hand of bureaucracy and compelled it to come up with all the cards it holds. It did. The case in point is recently reported story in the News International and included in this edition. Happy reading, CPDI India Report: Public Institutions Violating FoI Act THISDAY Live “Nor have any of the judicial institutions vested with the powers of adjudication in the protection of the Right to Information, complied with same.”. USA UW law student sues CIA over data on Salvadoran Army officer The Seattle Times A University of Washington law-school student has filed a federal Freedom of Information lawsuit alleging the Central Intelligence Agency has illegally ... Pakistan Government directive buries Freedom of Information law The News International ISLAMABAD: In a major dent to transparency and people's right to know, the federal government has almost buried the Freedom of Information law by ... India Teaching Muslim youths to earn rightful benefits using RTI Times of India ... to seek RTI on minority welfare schemes of the Centre and state in a three-hour training session on the Right to Information (RTI) Act on Sunday. USA Obama Again Found Lacking in Open Government Efforts GovExec.com The report card, which includes recommendations in such areas as Freedom of Information Act responsiveness, whistleblower protections and ... Bangladesh Country Report: Freedom of Information in Bangladesh Article 19 Country Report: Freedom of Information in Bangladesh ... by the Manusher Jonno Foundation, an NGO advocating for freedom of information In 2008, ... India 7 funny reasons for which Right To Information petitions were filed India Today RTI is the Right to Information Act of the Parliament of India under which citizens have right to information in a practical regime. But this right is Pakistan Right to information law 'bitter pill for the corrupt' The Express Tribune Despite opposition from several elements, the Right to Information Act is there to stay in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, KP Information Commissioner Abdul ... Sri Lanka The Right to Information Act to be presented in Parliament before the end of this month. SLBC Speaker of the Parliament Karu Jayasuriya stated that he believes that the Right to Information Act can be presented to Parliament before the end of ... Pakistan Right to information law 'bitter pill for the corrupt' The Express Tribune Despite opposition from several elements, the Right to Information Act is there to stay in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, KP Information Commissioner Abdul ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 108

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 108	E - Alert	Issue Date: 05-10-2015

Editorial: Greetings from Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI). Not exactly 50 but RTI movement in Pakistan has many shades. We have excuse of RTI laws and we have highly rated RTI laws. We have commissions as well as Ombudsman as appellate bodies. We see politicians enacting effective laws in KP and Punjab and see same politicians trying to dilute RTI law in the case of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a combo of bureaucrats and politicians trying to thwart work of Punjab Information Commission through their all too familiar shenanigans i.e. not posting staff, not approving service rules for the commission so that it could not hire on its own and delaying the release of budget, to name a few. Yet another peculiar shade is reflected in the attitude of PPP towards RTI legislation. The party played instrumental role in insertion of 18^th Amendment in the constitution thereby playing pivotal role in according right to information constitutional protection and its Senator Farhat Ullah Babar playing leading role in the approval of draft federal RTI bill by Senate Committee on Information and Broadcasting and yet this party has not repealed Sindh Freedom of Information Act 2006 and neither it repealed federal FOIO 2002 when it was in power from 2008 to 2013. These shades of RTI situation in the country necessitate multi-pronged responses from civil society actors. Yes, we wanted independent and autonomous information commission and we got these in two provinces. Are these information commissions delivering? We have been endeavoring for enactment of effective right to information laws and we got them in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. Are citizens using them for attainment of their rights? If yes, to what extent and if not why not? Have civil society groups working in health, education environment and agriculture sectors been able to use these laws? These and other questions we need to find answers to in order to strengthen RTI movement in the country. CPDI is in the process of finalizing ‘Information Commissions’ Performance Barometer’ to scientifically measure performance of Punjab Information Commission and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commissions and we will be sharing details soon. Happy reading, CPDI UK Hypocritical politicians 'hate' freedom of information, says former commissioner The Guardian Public commitment to freedom of information on all sides of politics is “rank hypocrisy”, the former information commissioner, John McMillan, has said... Pakistan Punjab Information Commission still understaffed The News International ISLAMABAD: Despite introduction of much-trumpeted Right to Information (RTI) law, Punjab's bureaucracy is still not allowing general public to access ... Canada Fix Canada's Broken Access to Information System Canada NewsWire (press release) Send an email to your representatives: using CJFE's simple one-click platform, you can easily make your right to information a priority to federal party ... India IAS officer takes the RTI route over sudden transfer Chandigarh Tribune ... Vineet Chawdhry, Additional Chief Secretary (Health), has sought information under Right to Information (RTI) about he being divested of the Urban ... USA Changes sought in Michigan's Freedom of Information Act WLNS State lawmakers Tim Greimel and Jeremy Moss will be introducing a plan that would expand the Freedom of Information Act to cover the state ... Pakistan Despite Promises, KP did not undo regressive changes to KP Right to Information Law Daily Pakistan LAHORE (Staff Report) – Despite well-publicized promises, the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has yet to undo the widely criticized ... India Local governments to offer information suo motu under RTI The Hindu Local governments such as Chennai Corporation have started implementing suo motu disclosure under Right to Information Act 2005. Residents will ... USA APNewsBreak: Arkansas execution plan may use UK firm's drug U.S. News & World Report Through a Freedom of Information Act request, the AP obtained redacted photographs of the containers, product inserts and expiration dates of drugs ... Bangladesh Govt asked not to enact laws against right to info The Daily Star Transparency International Bangladesh has urged the government not to enact laws conflicting with the Right to Information Act, 2009. Armenia Armenian ministry of agriculture wins Golden Key award of Freedom Information Center Arka News Agency (press release) The award was handed to deputy minister of agriculture Armen Harutyunyan by the head of the Freedom of Information Center Shushan Doydoyan. Scotland Public services escaping freedom of information scrutiny, campaign says Herald Scotland The public's right to know about public services is being eroded as more and more policies stop being covered by Freedom of Information (FOI) laws, ... India Maharashtra ministers lobbied for transfers of senior IPS officers, reveal RTI papers The Indian Express ... for transfers of senior IPS officers, reveal RTI papers. Official papers obtained by The Sunday Express under the Right to Information (RTI) Act show. Canada Canada slides to 59th of 102 nations on information freedom TheChronicleHerald.ca ... Canada's Access to Information Act ranks a very poor 59th place globally from among 102 countries with right to information (RTI) laws, just behind ... UK Sir Jeremy Heywood attacks Freedom of Information laws Daily Mail The Cabinet Secretary also said Whitehall departments faced rising costs as they dealt with requests under the Freedom of Information Act – which ... UK AG rules against Rauner, in favor of Illinois Times Illinois Times ... ruled that the governor must turn over his appointment calendar in response to the paper's request made under the state Freedom of Information Act. America Naperville spent $760000 on fixes after 2012 cyber attack Chicago Tribune A Naperville Sun Freedom of Information request for any FBI records related to the Naperville hack remains ongoing. Krieger said he had not heard ... India SC declines info on prefix 'justice' Chandigarh Tribune In its response to an application filed under the Right to Information Act by advocate Hemant Kumar, the Supreme Court has said: “It is beyond the ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 107

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 107	E - Alert	Issue Date: 14-09-2015

Editorial: Greetings from Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI). The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has partly undone what it should not have done in the first place and PMN government is not doing what it should have done long ago. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government should be appreciated for retracting exemption accorded to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly through an amendment introduced in the law on June 23, 2015.Â However, it has still not been able to bring Peshawar High Court within the purview of the law and district courts are still appellate courts against the decisions of the KP Information Commission. PMLN government should be hauled over the coals for continuously dragging its feet on the issue of enacting RTI law for federal public bodies. So, the work for civil society is clearly cut out. We need to build upon our achievements. It is no small achievement that civil society has been able to have Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013 and the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013 got enacted. This is especially encouraging given the fact that RTI law approved by Senate Committee on Information and Broadcasting has largely benefited from these laws.Â PMLN government may continue dragging its feet and our apprehension is that it will try to water down RTI bill and this is where civil society will have to be vigilant, innovative and persistent. Happy reading, CPDI India The Supreme Court Still Adamantly Refuses to Yield to RTI The Wire On 20^th February 2008, Satnam Singh, a prisoner in Ludhiana's Central Jail sent a Right to Information (RTI) request to the Supreme Court (SC) ... India MFWA questions Ghana's commitment to transparent governance GhanaWeb Ghana has in the last decade been pursuing the passage of the Right to Information Bill but the draft legislation has protracted in the country's ... Pakistan Programme on RTI stopped on DD ahead of Act's 10th anniversary Hindustan Times Before the 10th anniversary of Right to Information law the national public broadcaster Doordarshan has stopped showing its weekly awareness ... India RTI applicant gets protection against legal action The Hindu The ruling of the Kerala High Court that even an applicant under the Right to Information Act gets immunity from legal proceedings against him/her ... India CCI's negligence Daily Times The Council of Common Interests (CCI) has published three annual reports in order to fulfil its right to information obligations since its establishment ... India RTI: Western Railway has slashed number of trains offering normal fare tickets from 26 to 2 Financial Express During previous years, more such trains were run during the peak summer time,â€ Right to Information (RTI) activist Chandrashekhar Gaur told PTI here ... UK UK refuses to release 100-year-old details of its Irish spies Irish Independent However, a UK Freedom of Information tribunal rejected Mr Keane's appeal against the refusal by the British Home Office and the Metropolitan Police ... India Civic body asks RTI activist to pay 25K for photocopies of reply Times of India THANE: A city-based Right to Information (RTI) activist has been asked to shell out Rs 25,000 by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) for a reply on ... USA 14 years after 9/11, secrecy shrouds many records Miami Herald The FBI has yet to release any other commission material â€“- transcripts, memos and the like â€“- sought in a Freedom of Information request filed by ... India BCI gifts right of privacy to NLUO after debarred LLM students cry for transparency in exam rules Legally India One of the debarred students filed a right to information (RTI) request with the administration to question this discrepancy and for publishing the latest ... UK Information requests cost Staffordshire Council Â£160k expressandstar.com A council spent more than Â£160,000 in a year answering Freedom of Information requests â€“ with businesses asking for commercial information ... USA 14 years after 9/11, secrecy shrouds many records SunHerald.com The FBI has yet to release any other commission material â€” transcripts, memos and the like â€” sought in a Freedom of Information request filed by ... USA Truth censored by the top brass: Evidence that backs jailed Marine Alexander Blackman to be ... Daily Mail Military top brass have been plotting the cover-up for weeks â€“ vowing to use a loophole in the Freedom of Information Act to deny the public the full ... Pakistan PA again brought within purview of RTI law DAWN.com The amendment said that it was desirable to amend the KP Right to Information Act 2015 to add again the secretariat of the provincial assembly, along ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 106

A newsletter containing news


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 104	E - Alert	Issue Date: 13-07-2015

Editorial: Greetings from Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI). How can one understand the logic of fixing what is not broken? This is what PTI provincial leadership has been trying to do with its landmark Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013. On June 23, 2015, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, without any debate, and, as it later transpired, without following the proper legislative process, amended RTI law, giving exemption to itself and, more shockingly, lowered the status of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission by declaring district courts the forum for appeals against the decisions of the Commission. Thanks to the aggressive campaign on print and electronic media by civil society groups and friends in the media, Imran Khan had to intervene and promise that these amendments will be revoked once the provincial assembly meets next time which is July 28. It goes without saying that RTI activists need to stay vigilant till the time these amendments are not taken back. This is important to ensure that what has happened in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa does not become a precedent. It seems federal government will have to table RTI bill in the parliament as Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting had toÂ face music from the members of the Senate Committee on Information and Broadcasting who approved RTI billÂ on July 15, 2014. Subsequently, he promised that RTI bill will be on the agenda of the Cabinet when it meets next time. So far, this PMLN government has not shown any enthusiasm for introducing governance reforms and its stony silence on the issue of reforms has compelled even its sympathizers in the media to question its performance. So, there is hope for legislation on right to information in near future at the federal level. Happy reading, CPDI USA School charges mom $77000 to access emails about her son FOX31 Denver Ellison also said the Freedom of Information Act laws changed July 1. The biggest change has to do with people being charged too much money such ... India 10 years of RTI: 39 activists dead, 275 harassed, says report Hindustan Times When right to information activist Guru Prasad Shukla was beaten to death by fellow villagers last month, he became the 39th person to lay down his ... Pakistan KP Assembly speaker has to cut a sorry figure The News ISLAMABAD: As Imran Khan has vetoed the controversial amendments in the RTI Act haphazardly voted into law by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the architect of this failed game plan has now run short of excuses for justifying his ... India Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's Shimla Land Deal Can't be Revealed for Now, Says High Court NDTV ... Pradesh - she reportedly has bought two pieces of land - was sought last year by Debashish Bhattacharya, a Right to Information (RTI) activist. Pakistan Committee formed to review Punjab RTI law The News ISLAMABAD: While the PML-N government is being hailed for introducing right to information (RTI) law in Punjab, the provincial bureaucracy is effectively blocking its implementation considering it a threat to its power. In a ... India SC rejects RTI appeal to obtain judges' medical expenses Legally India The Supreme Court dismissed a Right to Information (RTI) appeal that had asked for judges' medical expenses, citing judges' right to privacy, reported ... Australia Diplomats rack up thousands of dollars in unpaid parking and speeding fines Sydney Morning Herald Figures obtained under freedom of information from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for Canberra revealed that the United States ... Pakistan Punjab excels in effective RTI legislation: Report The News ISLAMABAD: Punjab has scored the highest marks in terms of effective RTI legislation when measured against the global best practices while Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has slid down in the ranking due to the negative amendments enacted recently in addition to other problems in the law. Â India Make public RTI replies to stop repeated queries: Centre Times of India NEW DELHI: To check wasteful duplication of effort while responding to RTI queries, the Centre has asked all departments to do an analysis of ... UK Fire crews rescue 650 obese people a year using winches and cranes Mirror.co.uk ... April 2014 and 2015, compared with 609 cases between 2013 and 2014, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information act.
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 105

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 105	E - Alert	Issue Date: 06-08-2015

Editorial: Greetings from Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly is in session and RTI community in Pakistan is waiting with baited breath as to when will it revoke amendments introduced on June 23Â in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013. Civil society groups, concerned citizens and media took PTI government to task for diluting the law which suggests there is greater ownership of RTI in Pakistan. The level of informed debate also shows that RTI movement in the country is maturing. Our background information suggests that these amendments will be withdrawn in this session. Couple of lessons can be drawn from this saga of amendments. Wherever you are, bewareÂ Â of bureaucratic shenanigans for it was the law department that wanted to lower the status of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission. Never underestimate the power of empire to strike back. Neither it is an isolated case for we have seen it happening in India where bureaucracy would have succeeded in declaring file notings exempted from disclosure had Indian civil society not taken sustained stand against bureaucratic â€˜indecentâ€™ proposal. Secondly, it was Speaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly who played an instrumental role in giving exemption to the Assembly. So rare unity at display by bureaucrats and politicians on the lines of one at times displayed by Jim Hacker and Sir Humphrey Appleby to protect mutual interests, in this case the mutual interest being the preference for secretive ways of running government over transparency. Yes, price of freedom is eternal vigilance and as it is â€˜mother of all rightsâ€™ and touch stone of all our freedoms, right to information will always remain n obvious target and corresponding greater level of vigilance will be required and forever. Happy reading, CPDI Pakistan Pakistan may have top global ranking if RTI draft law passed The News ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is an â€˜ifâ€™ away from grabbing the top global ranking as it can proudly claim to have the best Right to Information (RTI) legislation in the world to promote transparency if the draft RTI Act 2014 is passed into ... Pakistan Development funds: district courts not providing info to CGPA Business Recorder (press release) (blog) Anwar said District courts are covered in purview of the KP Right to Information (RTI) Act. Section 2, Sub section (i) of KP RTI Act 2013 include ... India Indian Potash Limited comes under RTI Act's ambit: CIC Economic Times NEW DELHI: Indian Potash Limited (IPL), the Rs 15,000-crore fertliser behemoth, is answerable to people under the Right to Information Act, the full ... India RTI Act: A decade of stonewalling information Hindustan Times When the Right to Information Act (RTI) was passed in 2005, the view across the political spectrum was that the law will provide access to services and ... USA Details released in Navy bribery scheme, censure of 3 admirals The Seattle Times ... not known until the Navy Times published a story over the weekend based on redacted documents received through the Freedom of Information Act. UK Freedom of Information Act could be 'watered down' as review is launched Telegraph.co.uk Maurice Frankel, director of the Campaign for Freedom of Information said the current system, in which a tribunal oversees the balance between the ... UK Syria air strikes conducted by UK military pilots BBC News And yet news of Britons bombing Syria emerged not in the Commons but via a freedom of information request. Few pilots were involved. They were ... Sri Lanka Let sleeping watch dogs lie The Sunday Times Sri Lanka In fact the Right to Information Bill which should have gone to parliament much earlier and become law by now obviates the need for such bodies as ... UK We would never have known John Bercow claimed Â£172 for a taxi were it not for the Freedom of ... The Independent Discovering fresh details of the Speaker's travel and accommodation costs would never have been possible but for the Freedom of Information (FoI) ... Pakistan CRTI rejects amendments to Right to Information Act The News International PESHAWAR: Rejecting the amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013, the Coalition on Right to Information (CRTI) has ... India Soldier on trial for 27 years for a 'secret' that never was Hindustan Times ... retired lieutenant general Nirmal Puri found the â€œclassifiedâ€ information he allegedly leaked was freely available under the Right to Information Act. Ireland Adopted people to gain right to information on birth parents Irish Times Planned legislation that would offer up to 50,000 adopted people a legal right to information about their birth parents for the first time has been ... Philippine Palace says it never wavered in pushing for Freedom of Information Bill Philippine Information Agency MANILA, July 30 --MalacaÃ±ang remains committed to pursue the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill to achieve more transparency in the ... UK Police overtime costs up due to staff shortages BBC News One Met Police officer received an overtime payment of Â£45,000 last year, a Freedom of Information request found. The overtime bill for officers and ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 104

A newsletter containing news


A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 104	E - Alert	Issue Date: 13-07-2015

Editorial: Greetings from Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI). How can one understand the logic of fixing what is not broken? This is what PTI provincial leadership has been trying to do with its landmark Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013. On June 23, 2015, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, without any debate, and, as it later transpired, without following the proper legislative process, amended RTI law, giving exemption to itself and, more shockingly, lowered the status of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission by declaring district courts the forum for appeals against the decisions of the Commission. Thanks to the aggressive campaign on print and electronic media by civil society groups and friends in the media, Imran Khan had to intervene and promise that these amendments will be revoked once the provincial assembly meets next time which is July 28. It goes without saying that RTI activists need to stay vigilant till the time these amendments are not taken back. This is important to ensure that what has happened in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa does not become a precedent. It seems federal government will have to table RTI bill in the parliament as Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting had toÂ face music from the members of the Senate Committee on Information and Broadcasting who approved RTI billÂ on July 15, 2014. Subsequently, he promised that RTI bill will be on the agenda of the Cabinet when it meets next time. So far, this PMLN government has not shown any enthusiasm for introducing governance reforms and its stony silence on the issue of reforms has compelled even its sympathizers in the media to question its performance. So, there is hope for legislation on right to information in near future at the federal level. Happy reading, CPDI USA School charges mom $77000 to access emails about her son FOX31 Denver Ellison also said the Freedom of Information Act laws changed July 1. The biggest change has to do with people being charged too much money such ... India 10 years of RTI: 39 activists dead, 275 harassed, says report Hindustan Times When right to information activist Guru Prasad Shukla was beaten to death by fellow villagers last month, he became the 39th person to lay down his ... Pakistan KP Assembly speaker has to cut a sorry figure The News ISLAMABAD: As Imran Khan has vetoed the controversial amendments in the RTI Act haphazardly voted into law by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the architect of this failed game plan has now run short of excuses for justifying his ... India Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's Shimla Land Deal Can't be Revealed for Now, Says High Court NDTV ... Pradesh - she reportedly has bought two pieces of land - was sought last year by Debashish Bhattacharya, a Right to Information (RTI) activist. Pakistan Committee formed to review Punjab RTI law The News ISLAMABAD: While the PML-N government is being hailed for introducing right to information (RTI) law in Punjab, the provincial bureaucracy is effectively blocking its implementation considering it a threat to its power. In a ... India SC rejects RTI appeal to obtain judges' medical expenses Legally India The Supreme Court dismissed a Right to Information (RTI) appeal that had asked for judges' medical expenses, citing judges' right to privacy, reported ... Australia Diplomats rack up thousands of dollars in unpaid parking and speeding fines Sydney Morning Herald Figures obtained under freedom of information from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for Canberra revealed that the United States ... Pakistan Punjab excels in effective RTI legislation: Report The News ISLAMABAD: Punjab has scored the highest marks in terms of effective RTI legislation when measured against the global best practices while Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has slid down in the ranking due to the negative amendments enacted recently in addition to other problems in the law. Â India Make public RTI replies to stop repeated queries: Centre Times of India NEW DELHI: To check wasteful duplication of effort while responding to RTI queries, the Centre has asked all departments to do an analysis of ... UK Fire crews rescue 650 obese people a year using winches and cranes Mirror.co.uk ... April 2014 and 2015, compared with 609 cases between 2013 and 2014, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information act.
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 103

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 103	E - Alert	Issue Date: 23-06-2015

Editorial: Greetings from Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI). The deafening silence maintained by PPP on the issue of provincial right to information law has finally been broken. Ms. Sharmila Farooqi, Advisor to Chief Minister Sindh said in a conference held by CPDI on June 08, 2015 in Karachi that the new RTI bill will be tabled in Sindh Assembly at the start of the next parliamentary year. This is the first public commitment by PPP leader in the Sindh province. However, we have seen many public commitments by PPP to repeal Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002 during its tenure but nothing came out of those commitments. Therefore, this is high time that civil society groups step up the campaign for the enactment of effective RTI law in Sindh. CPDI has already shared with the Sindh government model RTI law as the draft Sindh bill leaves much to be desired according to those who have seen the bill. We will keep you posted about the developments. Happy reading, CPDI India Over 40000 Cases Pending as Central Information Commission Remains Headless NDTV ... cases - comprising 32,531 appeals and 7,520 complaints filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act - are pending in the Commission as on today, ... Canada Freedom Of Information Requests More Costly, Less Informative: Report Huffington Post Canada HALIFAX - People are waiting longer, paying more and getting less information when they file requests under the Freedom of Information and ... UK Downing Street accused of deliberate attempt to avoid freedom of information requests as ex-staff ... The Independent Transparency campaigners have claimed the system is in place to avoid information being released to the public through freedom of information ... Ireland Stormont department answers FoI request ... almost four years later Belfast Newsletter A Stormont department has finally responded to a Freedom of Information request more than three and a half years after it was first made â€“ but said ... USA FBI Spends Up to One-Third of Its Aviation Budget on Executive Travel, Documents Show GovExec.com ... is secondary to the FBI's operational work,â€ the FBI told Smith in a letter obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by Government Attic.org. Scotland Call to include housing associations in the Freedom of Information Act The National THE Scottish information commissioner has criticised the Scottish Government for failing to include housing associations in plans to extend the ... India PMK demo on Jun 22 to demand CIC appointment Web India Hence most of the appeal petitions on Right to Information Act are kept pending without hearing. Though the numbers of the appeal petitions had ... India Fine imposed on Mundoor Gram Panchayat PDO SahilOnline ... of Rs 6,000 onMundoor Gram Panchayat PDO Sujatha for failing to furnish information sought by general public under the Right to Information Act. India Government refuses to return chief information commissioner's financial powers Economic Times CIC, which is the final appellate authority for Right to Information (RTI) Act, has got a new chief information commissioner - Vijai Sharma - after over ... Ireland Revealed: Gifts and hospitality lavished on Stormont ministers over past five years Belfast Telegraph The gifts were offered to the ministers by private companies and Heads of State, according to information obtained under the Freedom of Information ... Nigeria Code of Conduct Bureau denies groups access to Buhari's Assets declaration form TV360 The Code of Conduct Bureau has turned down a Freedom of Information request by a network of Civil Society organisations, Stop Impunity Nigeria ... India Daunting task ahead for new CIC The Hindu The Defence Ministry tops the list of Central government departments contributing the highest number of Right to Information (RTI) appeals pending ... India Delhi govt to conduct RTI test for its officials in Sept Press Trust of India New Delhi, Jun 19 (PTI) To encourage its officials to get acquainted with the provisions of Right to Information Act, the Delhi government has decided ... UK Tory crackdown on Freedom of Information sparks transparency fears RT Conservative ministers are plotting a clampdown on Britain's Freedom of Information (FoI) laws, a move that observers warn could signal the death ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

newsletter 102

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 102	E - Alert	Issue Date: 08-06-2015

Editorial: Greetings from Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI). CPDI is engaged with governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa impressing upon them to remove factors that hamper implementation of RTI laws in these provinces. Notwithstanding the overriding powers of these RTI laws, West Pakistan Government Servants (Conduct) Rules 1966, Rules of Business and other such laws contain provisions contrary to the spirit of these laws and have the potential to be used to discourage citizens to exercise their right to information. Especially, Sections 4 and 5 of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013 respectively pertaining to the proactive disclosure of information will only be implemented when the sharing of the listed information in these sections is assigned as functions to be performed by the public bodies under the Rules of Business. CPDI is in communication with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab governments urging them to revisit and amend West Pakistan Government Servants (Conduct) Rules 1966 and Rules of Business with the view to promote and protect citizens’ right to information. The response from the Punjab government is positive and it has directed Punjab Information Commission to develop recommendations and share it with the government which it has done. We will keep you posted about the developments. Happy reading, CPDI India Two years on, student still fighting for answer book copy Times of India ... South Gujarat University (VNSGU) has been fighting to get a copy of his answer book for the last two years under the Right to Information Act (RTI). UK Freedom of Information reveals UK police spend at least £36m a year on comms PR Week The role of PR professionals in the police continues to be crucial with 12 forces across the country spending over £1m on comms. News ... UK UK police requests to access phone calls or emails are granted 93% of the time The Guardian The figures, released to Big Brother Watch under freedom of information laws, found there were more than 730,000 requests for communications data ... India 'Matriculate holds several posts in CM's grievance cell' JAMMU, May 29: Information sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by a social activist has revealed that a matriculate is holding several top ... USA FOI bill in line for plenary debate, but will it open up SALNs to scrutiny? InterAksyon MANILA, Philippines -- Advocates have heightened their push for the passage of the Freedom of Information bill by the House of Representatives with ... USA 10 incidents discovered at the nation's biolabs USA TODAY ... 2014 at the USDA's Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory in Athens, Ga., records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show. India Salman Khan's Hit-and-Run Files Burned in Fire India West A recent Right to Information inquiry revealed the 2002 hit-and-run case files of actor Salman Khan, photographed leaving for the Arab-Indo Bollywood ... India Mineral water worth Rs 4.66 lakh consumed at Maha secretariat: RTI Zee News ... consumed a total of 24,684 litres of bottled mineral water at a cost of Rs 4.66 lakh in the last 5 months, a Right to Information query has revealed. Australia Single freedom of information request ends up costing taxpayers $80000 The Canberra Times The Department of Agriculture has been lashed at a Senate Estimates hearing for an $80,000 review into how it handles freedom of information ... Malta 62 freedom of information requests Times of Malta The government has received 62 freedom of information requests since the act came into force, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this evening. Bahamas Freedom Of Information Bill Does Not Fix Flaws, Says Expert Bahamas Tribune Full consultation and debate prior to enacting a right to information law is appropriate, given its democratic importance and complexity. “However ... India T fails to take up fight against tobacco menace Times of India ... a cardiologist, who filed a series of applications under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with two dozen district and state level health authorities on ... USA Police tasers used on children and elderly East London and West Essex Guardian Series Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show officers used the weapon on 11 people over the age of 60 in the 12 months up to April ... UK We all had a right to see Prince Charles's letters. But not any more, it seems The Guardian However the tightening-up of the Freedom of Information Act brings to an end this brief glimpse into Charles's lobbying. The shutters have come down, ... India Karnataka Governor Spent Rs 3.5 Crore on Renovation, Chartered flights, Finds RTI Query NDTV ... office, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R Vala has spent a hefty Rs 3.5 crore, an application filed under the Right to Information Act, or RTI, has found. India State health insurance scheme: Money flows to private hospitals Times of India According to information obtained through Right To Information (RTI) Act, out of close to Rs 680 crore that was spent on health insurance in the 2013, ... UK Garden thefts occur 'every eight minutes' The Independent Figures compiled from 38 police forces suggest there were more than 60,000 thefts from gardens last year, the study based on freedom of information ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 101

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 101	E - Alert	Issue Date: 05-05-2015

Editorial: Greetings from Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI). The statement came out of nowhere leaving us pleasantly surprised and our perception about politicians suffering from selective amnesia further reinforced. First, the statement. On World Press Freedom Day, former president Asif Ali Zardari said: Â â€œThe fact that the RTI legislation had been finalised by the Senate committee almost a year ago but the government, despite promises, has not tabled it in parliament raises serious questions about the intent and motives of the government.â€ Taken on its face value, this statement seems to be contributing to the demand for the enactment of effective right to information law repealing FOIO 2002. Leader of countryâ€™s major political party championing the cause of transparency. What else can you ask for? After all, this is what CPDI and other civil society groups have been demanding as PMLN has continuously dragged its feet on this issue.Â Â However, it is when we see this statement in the context of developments pertaining to right to information legislation in the country that our enthusiasm dampens a bit. Furthermore, the failure of Mr. Zardari to dwell upon the lack of development on the repeal of Sindh Freedom of Information Act 2006 is too glaring an omission to go unnoticed. The following timeline depicting not-so-flattering trail of broken promises pertaining to legislation on right to information left behind by PPP after its tenure from 2008 to 2013 juxtaposed with Mr. Zardariâ€™s recent statement and the feed-dragging of PMLN on this issue confirms what is already widely known-both these parties do not walk the talk and that civil society groups will have to mount pressure on politicians to arrest this trend. May 14, 2006-Pakistan Peopleâ€™s Party and PML-N commit in Charter of Democracy that â€˜access to information will become law after parliamentary debate and public scrutinyâ€™. March 29, 2008-Yousaf Raza Gillani pledges in his address to Parliament soon after being nominated as Prime Minister that a new freedom of information law will be brought to promote press freedom. September 20, 2008-President Asif Ali Zardari, while addressing the joint session of the Parliament states that â€œWe will soon be bringing other fundamental laws such as freedom of information billâ€¦â€ November 21, 2008-As Federal Information Minister, Ms Sherry Rehman states â€œFreedom of Information bill would shortly be tabled in the parliament after incorporating views of the provincial governments in itâ€. Happy reading, CPDI Pakistan PPP calls for adoption of right to information bill DAWN.com ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has called for early adoption of the Right to Information (RTI) Bill that has been lying in limbo since... UK 'Racism rising' on Britain's railways, Freedom of Information request finds Metro Figures obtained by the Press Association via a Freedom of Information request showed that the British Transport Police recorded a total of 1,468 ... India RTI reply points to bungling in sale of Army vehicles Chandigarh Tribune Replies received under the Right to Information Act (RTI) to queries pertaining to certain financial transactions by the Directorate General of ... Mexico Mexican Congress expands reach of freedom-of-information law U-T San Diego MEXICO CITY (AP) â€” Mexico's Congress has approved freedom of information legislation that will allow public access to data from almost any entity ... UK BBC Favours Daily Mail Over The Guardian, Freedom Of Information Request Reveals Huffington Post UK The Daily Mail is known for slating the BBC as â€œGuardian-reading Leftiesâ€ but it's going to struggle to get round the findings of a recent Freedom of ... UK 25 pregnant Navy sailors airlifted from ships Telegraph.co.uk The figures reported in The Sun were released under the Freedom of Information Act and follow the disclosure last year that 200 women were flown ... India The secrecy regime The Hindu A committee set up by the Union government to look into the provisions of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 (OSA) in light of the Right to Information Act, ... USA National Guard referred to Ferguson protesters as â€œenemy forcesâ€ World Socialist Web Site The documents were obtained by CNN through a Freedom of Information Act request. CNN reported Monday that â€œinternal communications from as ... India PMO has no information on Modi's wardrobe, says a RTI reply Hindustan Times ... information sought should be provided is not correct,â€ the Prime Minister's Office said in a reply to Right To Information application filed by Kumar. USA Federal agencies fail freedom of information test by Syracuse University Syracuse.com The U.S. Department of Homeland Security had the fastest response to requests for public information, in a study by researchers at the Transactional ... UK UK Government Belated FOI Transparency Lamented By The Man Who Pushed For It, 'Cash ... Techdirt The UK's Freedom of Information law was a long time coming. In contrast to the United States government, which (begrudgingly) (and only sort of) ... Sri Lanka Draft Bill on Right to Information gets Cabinet approval The Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka It was pledged that under the 100 days programme of the government the Draft Bill on Right to Information will be presented to the Parliament. UK Prince Charles 'black spider memos' may not be released for months The Guardian The Guardian challenged this use of the veto under the freedom of information act, and won at the supreme court. Lord Neuberger, the president of the ... Australia Risdon prison spends tens of thousands on nicotine patches and microwave ovens ABC Online Risdon prison has spent $40,000 on nicotine patches for inmates and nearly $1,500 replacing microwaves in the last three months, right to information... India Step-motherly treatment for non-clinical subjects The Hindu Despite the seriousness of the problem efforts to obtain details under the Right to Information elicited no response. The Directorate of Medical ... Canada 1500 school bus crashes since 2010, but contractor info remains secret Toronto Star ... is the same one journalists often use to uncover government secrets: the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). India PM Modi's Wife Files Second RTI Appeal on Her Security Cover Issue NDTV ... Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wife Jashodaben has filed a second appeal under the Right To Information or RTI Act seeking details on the matter. Pakistan Crossroads Of Despotism The Nation The PPP has rightly reminded the government of its promises to implement the Right to Information (RTI) Bill, and it is of utmost importance that the ... India 'Cops Arbitrarily Closed 23pc FIRs in 3 Years' The New Indian Express Based on the data obtained through the Right To Information (RTI) Act, Evidence, the Madurai-based NGO working on Dalit issues, has claimed that ... India 'Cops Arbitrarily Closed 23pc FIRs in 3 Years' The New Indian Express Based on the data obtained through the Right To Information (RTI) Act, Evidence, the Madurai-based NGO working on Dalit issues, has claimed that ... UK Kent police spent Â£1.2m on their PR budget in 2014/2015 a Freedom of Information request by the ... Kent Online Kent Police is the second highest spender out of county forces when it comes to their PR budget, a Freedom of Information request has revealed. Jamaica New ATI Act to be tabled and passed this parliamentary year Jamaica Gleaner (subscription) She said an expert on international access to information/freedom of information law took the recommendations of the joint select committee, and ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org

Newsletter 100

A newsletter containing news

$Description: C:\Documents and Settings\admin\My Documents\My Web Sites\cpdi_logo.33JPG.JPG$
A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of
Right to Information From Around the World
Issue No: 100	E - Alert	Issue Date: 15-04-2015

Editorial: Greetings from Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI). We received an interesting response from Additional Secretary (Welfare)/ Public Information Officer for Welfare Wing, S&GAD, Punjab on our request pertaining to the list of passengers of the Punjab government helicopter and number of flights taken from July 01, 2013 to April 02, 2014 filed under the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013. The Punjab government has cited 'security' reasons for not divulging names of those who have used helicopter of the Government of Punjab. Interestingly, we got positive response from Section Officer (Aviation-I) on a similar request for information filed under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013. Rumours abound about the way Punjab government helicopter is being used and it is in the best interest of the Punjab government that it shares the requested information to put an end to these damaging rumours. Mr. Waseem Abbasi, an investigative journalist is also trying to get access to the similar information and those who are interested in the use of Punjab government helicopter might find the related stories in this issue very interesting. Especially, the Punjab government clarification and the rejoinder by Mr. Abbasi show the effectiveness of RTI as a tool for investigative reporting. Happy reading, CPDI Punjab CM's copter makes 627 flights costing Rs37 million ISLAMABAD: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has spent more time in air then his counterpart in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Pervaiz Khattak as the official helicopter of former was almost used twice daily throughout last year, according to official figures obtained by The News. The documents provided by the Punjab government revealed that official helicopter of Punjab chief minister took 627 flights from July 2013 to October 2014 which cost national exchequer an amount of Rs37.07 million. Punjab govt clarifies use of helicopter LAHORE: A Spokesman of Punjab government has taken exception to a news item, published in a section of the press, regarding the government of the Punjab's helicopters flights, costing Rs37 million. The spokesman said that the official helicopter of the government of the Punjab is only used for legitimate government functions. UK Prince Charles letters must be disclosed, rules Supreme Court Out-Law.com In his leading judgment, Lord Neuberger said that provisions within the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) did not give the attorney general of England ... Canada Serious access to information reform is needed in Canada Straight.com Canada is currently ranked 57th out of the 101 countries on the Centre for Law and Democracy's Right to Information Rating, a comparative ... USA Lawsuit filed over new lethal-injection law Arkansas News ... drugs secret violates the prisoners' constitutional rights, including their right to information about procedures the state intends to use to execute India 'Air safety rules wilfully violated at Mumbai airport' The Indian Express The DGM's letter is in response to a Right to Information request filed by activist Vishwas Bhamburkar about action taken on safety issues at the airport. USA Illinois mulls expanded disease list for marijuana program Macon Telegraph (blog) ... emotional pleas for help, according to 269 pages of petitions obtained by The Associated Press through the state's Freedom of Information Act. USA Judge Shoots Down 'FOIA Terrorist' Jason Leopold; Says 'Panetta Review' Documents Can Be ... Techdirt In a court filing last month as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, a C.I.A. officer said that the review had been stopped abruptly in 2010, had ... India Intelligence agencies silent on RTI: study The Hindu India's top security and intelligence agencies consistently refuse to give out any information about the Right to Information requests they receive, and ... India Why are CIC posts vacant, Delhi High Court tells government to explain Economic Times ... why vacancies in the Central Information Commission, the final appellate authority for Right to Information Act, have not been filled for almost a India NGT asks state to spring into action to curb illegal mining Times of India BHOPAL: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expressed concern over illegal sand mining in Madhya Pradesh following death of a cop, who was ... Nigeria I Will Guarantee Lagosians Right to Information â€“ Jimi Agbaje Daily Times Nigeria Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje has pledged to ensure Lagosians unfettered right to ... USA DHS: FOIA Requests Up 182 Percent Under Obama â€“ 5.7 Percent Are Fully Granted CNSNews.com ... Homeland Security has experienced a 182 percent increase in the number of requests it receives under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) since ... Australia Australian officials knew of surrogate baby abandonment ABC Online Freedom of Information (FOI) documents obtained by the ABC's Foreign Correspondent program reveal startling new information about the case which ... Australia Peculiar public service job: Strange tasks come with National Museum of Australia jobs The Canberra Times Documents obtained by a member of the public via a freedom of information request show damage to the cement base of a statue of 19th Century gold ... UK Mapped: The world's most open governments Telegraph.co.uk The countries were assessed on four categories: publicised laws and government data, right to information, civic participation, and complaint ... India You can put national calendar dates on cheques, but banks don't know Times of India Information sought from RBI through Right to Information (RTI) query filed by city-based activist Abhay Kolarkar clarifies that all nationalized banks ... India CIC Directs Govt to Bring Pvt Hospitals Under RTI The New Indian Express NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Centre and state governments to enforce the Right to Information (RTI) Act to ...
Transparency and Right to Information Program -------------------------------------------- Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan (CPDI-Pakistan) Tel: +92 (0) 51-2375158-9; 4319430 URL: www.cpdi-pakistan.org