-: [rti4empowerment] RNI : Unable to function due to lack of resources, and is incapable to implement regulatory requirements

RNI : Unable to function due to lack of resources, and is incapable to implement regulatory requirements

Commission wonders whether the organization of the Registrar of News Papers serves any useful purpose to monitor and regulate news papers in the country as per the laws. Sailesh Gandhi IC

Izhar Ahmad Ansari wrote to PM, IB minister Chairman PCI , demanding for necessary action against, who paralyzed the RNI organization.

Registrar of News papers for India (MoI&B) is a regulatory authority of print media. Registration of News papers Periodicals and thereafter monitoring of it, is a statutory duty of the RNI. For this purpose "Press and Registration of Book Act-1867" and "Registration of Newspaper (central) Rules,1956" are in force. There is also provision of imposing penalties in case of violation of any such Acts, Law and Rules. But the organization of RNI seems to be paralyzed and ineffective towards its duties which is its statutory responsibility.
I cannot comment on this, as to why it is happening, in this manner ? Contrary to the provision of Act and Rules, the result is the flooding of many such bogus Newspaper coming up regularly and as a result it is this bogus Newspapers fraudulently consuming crores of crores Rupees from Govt. of India, its public Sector and financial corporations by way of advertisements. The most astonishing fact is their advertisements of older publication by way of tenders, classified advertisement, etc is the biggest fraud committed as a offence of its own kind in the world.
In the recent past, by way of a RTI asked from CPIO, RNI a four point information sought about a Newspaper published from Lucknow, RNI could not provide satisfactory information / document/ reply on above RTI. Matter was referred to Central Information Commission under RTI act as 2nd Appeal.
The statement before the CIC made by PIO, RNI, were startling and shocking. Before CIC the RNI accepted that under the provisions of Act Rules, it is unable to function due to lack of resources, and is incapable to implement regulatory requirements, the comment of the CIC is "The Commission wonders whether the organization of the Registrar of News Papers serves any useful purpose to monitor and regulate news papers in the country as per the laws."
If the Govt. of India shows helplessness and incapability on its resources and fails to regulate and monitor the Print Media on its formed Acts Rules, than how they (Govt) think of regulating "Social Media" + " Web Media" and monitors it by making laws for the same will be practicable or not ?
C.I.C. comments for your Information and necessary action was placed as follows :
"The Appellant is seeking to know whether the Registrar of News Papers is during its statutory duty or not. The appellant points out that the information sought by him on all the four queries is statutorily required to be available with the Registrar of News papers. The PIO has stated that the organization is incapable of ensuring the regulatory requirements. The PIO states that there are more than 80000 news papers which are registered and the Registrar does not have adequate resource to monitor compliance with all regulatory requirements. The Appelant points out that there is a requirement that all news papers must submit their annual return and failure to do this should result in penalties being imposed. The PIO again states that this is done only when specific complaints are made. The Appellant is understandably agitated at the fact that the Registrar of news papers appears to have completely abdicated its responsibility in monitoring and regulating news papers in the country as per the law. The Commission wonders whether the organization of the Registrar of News Papers serves any useful purpose to monitor and regulate news papers in the country as per the laws.
Decision : The Appeal is disposed.
The organization is not maintaining or obtaining any of the statutory information from News Papers that it registers hence no information can be given to the Appellant.
This decision is announced in open chamber.
Notice of this decision be given free of cost to the parties.
Any information in compliance with this Order will be provided free of cost as per Section 7(6) of RTI Act.
Shailesh Gandhi
Information Commissioner
01 February 2012
(In any correspondence on this decision, mention the complete decision number.)(SH)
Decision N0. :. CIC/SG/A/2011/003365/17928
Appeal N0. : CIC/SG/A/2011/003365
Izhar Ahmad Ansari v / s RNI (MoI&BC)
……………………………

It is hoped that you will take necessary positive steps and measures in this direction. Such that the Registrar of News Papers for India New Delhi which is a regulatory authority of Print Media will discharge all its statutory responsibilities alongwith, and also be accountable to the discharge of duties as prescribed by way of rules+laws in this direction.
I shall be highly obliged if I am being apprised of the action taken by you in this issue

With Regards
Your's Sin curly
(Izhar Ahmad Ansari)
Chief Co-coordinator
Action Group foe Right to Information