The new chairman of the Central Information Commission, Vijai Sharma, has said that fighting the backlog of cases and vexatious requests is his top priority, according to an article in The Hindu.
“[What we need to check] is genuine applications getting crowded out by applications which some may prescribe as vexatious or frivolous. This is a very important angle which needs to be explored. And it is very important that we come out with an objective criteria within the Right to Information Act,” he told reporters after his June 10 swearing-in.
Sharma said the CIC’s technology system needs to be enhanced so that it can find out duplicate RTI applications.
“The endeavour of the Commission will be to make available maximum information in the public domain so that there is no need to file RTI applications,” he said.
Sharma also has said there is no need to amend the Right to Information Act, according to another news report.
“We are here to implement the Act as it is. My experience has been I don’t think so (need for amendment). The act as it is OK. In so far as the objective of the RTI is concerned and the objective of the RTI Act is to ensure easing access to Information, the Act that we have today that is alright and serves its purpose,” he said in an interview with the Press Trust of India.
Addressing a controversy over access to documents about the dath in 1945 on Indian nationalist Subhas Chandra Bose, Zee News reported.
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