RTI activists flay Savitribai Phule Pune University move to appointment of public information officer on contract

Among others, the missive is signed by salient RTI activists specified arsenic Vijay Kumbhar, Shailesh Gandhi, Mahesh Zagade, Pralhad Kachare, Jugal Rathi, Sunil Ahya and Mohammad Afzal.

Vijay Kumbhar said the RTI Act envisions the relation of an accusation serviceman arsenic a important portion of ensuring that nationalist authorities uphold transparency and accountability by providing close and timely information.

“It is implied successful the Act that this relation indispensable beryllium handled by a imperishable officer, a regular worker of the institution, who tin safeguard the integrity of the instauration implicit time. In general, the work of Public Information Officers (PIOs) is assigned arsenic an further complaint to imperishable employees,” the missive further said.“The RTI Act, specifically nether Section 5(1), mandates that each nationalist authorization designate existing officers oregon employees arsenic Public Information Officers (PIOs) to alteration entree to information. These appointments indispensable screen each administrative units and offices indispensable for nationalist inquiries, ensuring accordant adherence to the provisions of the RTI Act.”

Jugal Rathi said the assignment of a nationalist accusation serviceman connected a contractual ground is not successful enactment with the tone oregon intent of the RTI Act.

“The determination to name a temporary, contractual Information Officer raises important concerns astir the university’s committedness to upholding the RTI Act. Such a impermanent statement risks compromising the semipermanent ratio of the RTI mechanics and calls into question the continuity, neutrality, and seriousness with which this captious relation is being managed,” the activists wrote.

“It is disappointing that a prestigious instauration similar Savitribai Phule Pune University would edifice to specified a impermanent and unclear measure, which could perchance weaken the effectiveness of its accusation dissemination systems. In presumption of the above, we respectfully impulse the assemblage to reconsider this determination and name a permanent, full-time Information Officer, successful alignment with the ineligible provisions and the university’s committedness to transparency. Such a measurement volition assistance sphere the credibility of the university’s RTI processes and reenforce the nationalist spot placed successful this renowned institution. We anticipation for your punctual and thoughtful effect to this captious issue,” they added.