-: [rti4empowerment] Alleging incapacity, a Activist Challenges 9 Info-Commissioners of UP for an open in-camera debate on RTI: Mounting grievances against Grievance Redressal Forum attributed mainly to the incapacity of Info-Commissioners : Public hearing & Awareness Camp by ‘YAISHWARYAJ’ and Demonstration under the aegis of ‘TAHRIR’ over the dismal performance of the State Information Commission at Laxman Mela Maidaan Dharna Sthal in State Capital Lucknow on 12.10.2014 from 11A.M. to 03 P.M. : Programs supported by more than a dozen Social organizations of U.P. [1 Attachment]

[Attachment(s) from urvashi sharma included below]

Lucknow : More than a dozen Social organization of Uttar Pradesh have joined hands with Lucknow based NGO 'YAISHWARYAJ' and Social Group 'TAHRIR' for a Public Hearing & Awareness Camp on RTI and to protest against the growing problems of RTI users of the State.

YAISHWARYAJ has decided to hold a public hearing & Awareness Camp on RTI on the same day at same time at same venue.

TAHRIR ( Transparency, Accountability & Human Rights' Initiative for Revolution ) is a Bareilly/Lucknow based Social Organization working for transparency enhancement in public life, fixing of accountability in public life effectively and also for protection of Human Rights.

Founder President of TAHRIR Er. Sanjay Sharma through his E-mail dated 09-10-14, has apprised UPSIC , Chief Justice of India, Governor of UP, DM & SSP of Lucknow about the problems continuously persisting at UPSIC and has attributed most of these to the incapacity of info-commissioners. Through his e-mail, Sanjay has Challenged all 9 info-commissioners to participate in an open in camera debate over RTI at Laxman Mela Maidaan Dharna Sthal in State Capital Lucknow on 12.10.2014 anytime between 11A.M. to 03 P.M. either simultaneously or one by one.

TAHRIR's initiative has garnered support of YAISHWARYAJ Seva Sansthaan Lucknow, Action Group for Right to Information Lucknow, RTI Council of Uttar Pradesh, Soochna Ka Adhikaar Karyakarta Association, Peoples' Forum, Manav Vikas Seva Samiti Moradabad,Jan Soochna Adhikaar Jaagrookta Manch Lucknow , TRAP Aligarh,Bhrashtachaar Hatao Desh Bachao Manch, SRPDMS Seva Sansthaan,All India Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribes employees Welfare Association , Bhageedaaree Manch and Sarvajanik Jababdehee Bharat Nirmaan Manch Lucknow.

Letter as sent by Er. Sanjay Sharma to UPSIC , Chief Justice of India, Governor of UP, DM & SSP of Lucknow is being copy pasted below for your perusal.

Sanjay Sharma <tahririndia@gmail.com>	Thu, Oct 9, 2014 at 11:32 AM
To: sec.sic@up.nic.in, scic.up@up.nic.in
Cc: supremecourt <supremecourt@nic.in>, hgovup <hgovup@up.nic.in>, hgovup <hgovup@nic.in>, hgovup <hgovup@gov.in>, uppcc@up.nic.in, uppcc-up@nic.in, dgp@up.nic.in, dgpolice@sify.com, adglo.up@nic.in, digrlkw@up.nic.in, "dmluc@up.nic.in\" <dmluc@up.nic.in>, \"dmluc\"" <dmluc@nic.in>, ssplkw-up@nic.in
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- Hide quoted text - To, Sri Sudesh Kumar Ojha - Secretary Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission 6th Floor,Indira Bhavan,Ashok Marg,Lucknow Uttar Pradesh,India,India, Pin Code-226001 Sub: Dismal Performance of Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission : Social Organization TAHRIR's request to take effective measures to save transparency regime in Uttar Pradesh and also to accept challenge for an open in-camera discussion on RTI act with all nine Information Commissioners to expose their incapacity before the nation. Sir, TAHRIR ( Transparency, Accountability & Human Rights' Initiative for Revolution ) is a Bareilly/Lucknow based Social Organization working for transparency enhancement in public life, fixing of accountability in public life effectively and also for protection of Human Rights. In its recently held meeting ,Transparency wing of TAHRIR discussed various issues related to transparency regime of Uttar Pradesh and based on feedback received from various RTI users and volunteers of various social organizations of Uttar Pradesh concluded that dismal performance of Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission can mainly be attributed to complete ignorance of provisions of RTI act by present Information Commissioners. It was also decided that to expose this particular incapacity of nine information commissioners before the nation, Social Organization TAHRIR should raise a challenge for an open in-camera discussion on compliance of various provisions of RTI act with all nine Information Commissioners. As Founder President of 'TAHRIR', through your goodself, I am sending this challenge letter to all nine Information Commissioners, presently working with UPSIC, to accept my challenge for an open in-camera discussion on RTI act on 12th October 2014 ( Sunday ) at Laxman Mela Maidaan Dharna Sthal in State Capital Lucknow anytime between 11A.M. to 03 P.M.. I alone, shall take on all nine Information Commissioners Simultaneously. This is noteworthy that on the issue of pathetic state of implementation of transparency law in the state of Uttar Pradesh, TAHRIR has recently given a memorandum to the Governor of Uttar Pradesh also. Our organization, as a watchdog of transparency regime in the state of U.P. is really concerned over dismal performance of Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission. Presently, though there are nine information commissioners, it is as if they all are defunct as pendency stands at an unimaginable 55000 cases. Many cases registered in year 2009 are still pending in UPSIC. There is complete absence of a policy for disposal of pending cases, registering and hearing of Second Appeals and Complaints. Even after (almost) 9 years of enactment of RTI act , Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission has not yet approved its rules. As soon as any Second appeal or Complaint is registered the same should be allotted to one of the commissioners for further action but this is not happening at all and lead time for first hearing of a fresh appeal or complaint has risen to somewhere around 6-12 months depending on a particular information commissioner. Present Information Commissioners are not aware of basic statutory provisions of the act and they are hearing the cases arbitrarily on their own whims & fancies. So far as complaints are concerned, some Information Commissioners are hearing them, Some are treating them as first appeals & sending these to concerned public authorities while some are rejecting them out-rightly. None of the offices of information Commissioners is delivering orders unless their palms are greased. Even while adjourning the cases, no uniformity is being maintained. Adjournments ranging from 30 days to 6 months has come to our knowledge. In the absence of approved rules, there is no uniformity in any of the procedures followed by Information Commissioners or the administrative staff of UPSIC. Information Commissioners are adamant and reluctant in meeting the Citizens and Activists and are devising cheap means like registering false F.I.R.s against activists, insulting and misbehaving with activists in hearings just to avoid hearing of appeals and complaints filed by Activists. This has resulted in anarchy in the Commission. Information Commissioners are not dictating complete orders in the open court resulting in raising number of complaints of tampered orders managed by public authorities in their favor.RTI users are accusing information commissioners of revoking penalty orders as they have acquired some financial or other interest. TAHRIR has no hesitation to say that so called 'person of eminence' of state, handpicked as Information Commissioners by state government in the guise of selection, are now showing their real face and proving themselves to be 'person of real disgrace' to the state. In these Circumstances, In its Quest for Transparency, TAHRIR has also decided to hold a Protest at Laxman Mela Maidaan Dharna Sthal in State Capital Lucknow on 12.10.2014 from 11A.M. to 03 P.M. against dismal performance of UPSIC. Please take note of abovementioned facts, take effective measures to save transparency regime in Uttar Pradesh and covey the challenge of 'TAHRIR' to all nine Information Commissioners, presently working with UPSIC, to accept our challenge for an open in-camera discussion on RTI act on 12th October 2014 ( Sunday ) at Laxman Mela Maidaan Dharna Sthal in State Capital Lucknow anytime from 11A.M. to 03 P.M. where I alone, shall wait to take on all nine Information Commissioners Simultaneously to expose their incapacity before the nation. Copy Being sent with humble Regards for necessary action to : 1- Hon'ble the Chief Justice of India, Supreme Court of India, New Delhi. 2- Hon'ble the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow. 3- District Magistrate of Lucknow. 4- SSP of Lucknow. Sincerely yours, ( Er. Sanjay Sharma ) Founder & Chairman ransparency, Accountability & Human Rights Initiative for Revolution 101,Narain Tower,F Block,Rajajipuram Lucknow,Uttar Pradesh-226017 E-mail tahririndia@gmail.com Mobile 9369613513 Letter No. : TAHRIR/5/2014-15/141009 Date : 09-10-2014