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.

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









--
-Sincerely Yours,

Urvashi Sharma
Secretary - YAISHWARYAJ SEVA SANSTHAAN
101,Narayan Tower, Opposite F block Idgah
Rajajipuram,Lucknow-226017,Uttar Pradesh,India
Contact 9369613513
Right to Information Helpline 8081898081
Helpline Against Corruption 9455553838


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