No report of RTI activist murder during last 3 years with CVC

The Central Vigilance Commission has not received information about murder of any RTI activist during last three years, Government today informed the Lok Sabha.

Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh said there are media reports that some persons have been assaulted or were missing or killed in the last three years "allegedly due to their RTI activism".

"The Central Vigilance Commission has informed that there is no such case of murder of any Whistleblower/RTI activists, which has come to their notice during the last three years and the current year under the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informers (PIDPI) Resolution, 2004," he said.
 

Responding to a written question, the Minister said under the PIDPI resolution, 2004, the CVC and the Chief Vigilance Officers of the ministries and departments of the central government have been authorised to receive written complaints for disclosure on any allegation of corruption or misuse of office and recommend appropriate action.

"The CVC, after receipt of representation(s) about threats to life of whistle blowers, takes up the matter with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the nodal agency, to undertake the responsibility of providing security cover to genuine Whistle Blowers," the Minister said.

The Home Ministry, in turn, asks the state governments concerned to examine the threat and provide security cover, if needed.

"On the advice of Ministry of Home Affairs, state governments have appointed Nodal Officers in the respective states to whom such matters are referred," he said.

He said Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 which seeks to introduce clauses of safeguarding against disclosures affecting sovereignty and integrity of India, security of State is presently pending in the Rajya Sabha.

The UPA Government had enacted the Whistle Blowers Protection Bill, 2011 on May 9, 2014 but since the bill was taken up on the last day of last session of the 15th Lok Sabha, the amendments could not be moved, he said.

The Amendment Bill was introduced which has been passed in the Lok Sabha on May 11, 2015 and is pending before the Rajya Sabha, he said.