Ayodhya Reddy, 3 others appointed as RTI Commissioners
The appointments of RTI Commissioners have been pending for long, as Governor Jishnu Dev Varma sough some clarification on the eligibility of the candidates whose names were forwarded to Raj Bhavan recently. Senior officer of the Indian Forest Service, Chandrashekhar Reddy was already appointed as the Chief Information Commissioner.
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Deccan Herald
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Karnataka govt open to reviewing RTI rules amid misuse concerns
The Karnataka government on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that it was open to reviewing rules under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, after MLAs across party lines voiced concerns that the law was being misused by activists to 'harass' and 'blackmail' officials. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil made the statement while replying to a question by Bailhongal Congress MLA Mahantesh Koujalagi, on behalf of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, during the Question Hour. "RTI is a revolutionary legislation by the central government to bring transparency in administration. But, the state government can frame rules under the act. If we come to know about the misuse, we can take action," he said.
The Hindu
44 minutes ago
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Aid and advice: on Jammu and Kashmir, LG's Assembly member nominations
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs' assertion to the J&K High Court that the Lieutenant Governor (LG) can nominate five Assembly members without the 'aid and advice' of the elected government overrides democratic accountability. Consequential decisions such as nominating members who have voting rights in an elected assembly must flow from democratic mandate, not administrative discretion. The High Court's constitutional question could not be more direct: do the 2023 amendments to the J&K Reorganisation Act, allowing the LG to nominate five Assembly members 'which have the potential of converting the minority government into a majority government and vice-versa,' violate the Constitution's basic structure? Rather than addressing this, the Ministry delves into legal technicalities. Its submission argues that nominations fall outside the elected government's remit, seemingly invoking the K. Lakshminarayanan vs The Union of India precedent from Puducherry while claiming the 'sanctioned strength' includes elected and nominated members. It even references Section 12 of the 1963 Union Territories Act (voting procedures) as justification for bypassing democratic consultation. When five nominated members could determine government stability in a 119-member Assembly, the issue transcends statutory definitions of 'sanctioned strength'. The real question is whether any legal framework allowing appointed officials to potentially overturn the people's electoral verdict violates the democratic essence of the Constitution. The amendments inserted Sections 15A and 15B into the 2019 Act, allowing the LG to nominate two Kashmiri migrants (including one woman) and one from the Pakistan-occupied J&K community, besides the existing power to nominate two women, if inadequately represented in the elected Assembly. This effectively creates five nominated seats. The High Court's framing of this issue acknowledges the stakes involved: this could 'convert minority government into majority government and vice-versa', potentially subverting the electoral process. This concern is not unsubstantiated — in 2021, three years after Lakshminarayanan, Puducherry saw nominated members and defecting elected MLAs contributing to the collapse of the Congress-led government. Also, J&K's trajectory to Union Territory, without consultation with elected representatives, makes democratic accountability even more crucial. The unfulfilled promise of Statehood restoration, acknowledged by the Supreme Court and despite overwhelming support in J&K, reinforces that current arrangements should strengthen democratic governance. The Ministry's argument that nominations exist 'outside the realm of the business of the elected government' also contradicts evolving Supreme Court jurisprudence. In the Delhi services cases of 2018 and 2023, it ruled that the LG should act on elected governments' aid and advice, with discretionary powers treated as exceptions. Seen in this light, the Ministry's arguments do not hold water.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Only police can take action against illegal cattle transport: Maharashtra police issues order after Ajit Pawar's intervention
Days after Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar held a meeting with the Qureshi community in the presence of top police officers and instructed police authorities to take note of the problems created by 'private individuals' in the transportation of legally permitted animals, the Maharashtra police has issued a circular stating only police authorities should take action against people involved in illegal cattle transport. The circular issued by Special Inspector General (Law and Order) Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma stated that many traders have submitted statements on private individuals stopping and checking when traders transport cattle, with some of them being beaten up. 'Only police or other authorities concerned should take action against people involved in illegal cattle transport as soon as they receive information. It is not legal for private individuals to stop vehicles and check/beat them (traders) up. However, if any citizen complains about illegal cattle transport, they (authorities) should immediately take legal action,' it stated. The circular further stated that it should be ensured that traders who follow all the rules while transporting animals are not disturbed. Also, legal matters should be completed regarding the return of captured animals from traders who follow all the rules and action should be taken as per the rules. 'It should be ensured that in the case of animals mentioned in the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act, 1976 (As amended in 2015), action will be taken only under Section 8 (3) of the said Act,' it concluded. On August 6, Pawar had asked police authorities to direct district police heads to not allow private individuals to inspect vehicles transporting animals. Several delegations of the Qureshi community were present at the meeting with Pawar. It was attended by Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla and Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti along with other officials. In a memorandum of demands submitted to Pawar, the representatives of the community demanded a ban on illegal gaurakshaks (self-styled cow vigilantes), protection to transport legally allowed animals, withdrawal of false cases and clearing restrictions on transport licences. 'The Qureshi community is traditionally associated with meat trade and is a part of Maharashtra's agriculture-based economy. Therefore, no injustice will be allowed to be done to the traders of this community and the farmers who transport animals,' Pawar said in the meeting, as per the official statement from the Deputy Chief Minister's office. The delegation had raised the issue of harassment of animal traders by illegal gaurakshaks. 'The violent acts against the traders from Qureshi community and farmers who transport legally allowed animals has led to many losing their lives. The community is forced to call for a strike… Following the 2015 ban on cow slaughter, the transport is already limited. Now, the ongoing actions will affect the legal transport of animals such as buffaloes,' said the letter submitted to Pawar.
