This refers to M J Antony’s column “Babus in black robes” (Out of Court, October 31). The writer rightly supports the Supreme Court’s view that the information commissions should include a judicial member. This would not only bring objectivity in deciding the need for disclosure of information, but be particularly helpful when the information sought is administratively or politically inconvenient, even if otherwise useful in the public domain. Generally, such information is denied by government officers under the cloak of confidentiality and public interest. Besides, the current practice of packing the information commissions with obliging bureaucrats tends to constrain the scope of information sharing, much against the spirit of the Right to Information Act. In getting judges on board, the court has given a more precise and specific interpretation to the legislated requirement.
Y G Chouksey Pune
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