another example of the Credit Card industry's deceptive advertising targeting children
cartoon of the month

Friday, March 17, 2006

Sarbajit versus Goliath.

"Distcoms now in RTI net"
ALOKE Tikku and MOUSHUMI Das Gupta
New Delhi {Hindustan Times - Delhi edition)

INFORMATION IS power and Delhi's power distribution companies will
finally have to share it.

The Central Information Commission on Thursday delivered a ruling that
brings the private power distribution companies (distcoms) under the
purview of the right to information law. The decision settles a
controversy over the status of the distcoms that had claimed exemption
from the RTI law on the ground that the majority shareholding was held
by private parties.

Welcoming the move, Rakesh Mehta, principal commissioner (power) said,
"The government was always of the view that distcoms should be bought
under the purview of Information Act. It would help empower consumers."

The distcoms are yet to be communicated the order. Talking to the
Hindustan Times, J.P. Chalasani, director, BSES said, "We have not
received any communication as yet. But if a decision has been taken to
bring us under RTI we will abide by it."

The Delhi government holds a 49 per cent share in the equity of the
distribution companies. In its order announced at the conclusion of a
hearing in an appeal filed by Delhi citizen, Sarbajit Roy, a
two-member bench of the commission held that this was quite sufficient
for the private bodies to be treated as a "public authority" under the
right RTI law.

Rather than seek a majority shareholding of the government, the only
requirement for a company to qualify as a public authority under the
RTI is that it should be "owned, controlled or substantially financed"
by the government.

The issue about the status of the discoms came up when a RTI request
was filed with the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) to
seek information on the implementation of a Supreme Court order. Roy
had sought the information under a clause that empowered a public
authority to seek information from a private body. He never got the
information but the DERC did promptly move the Delhi government for a
clarification.

... Power to the people, finally

THE MOVE to include distcoms in the right to information Act is good
news for consumers. It means that from now distcoms will have to open
up to requests for information from consumers on all aspects of their
functioning, including issues like disposal of complaints, reason for
delay, what action has been taken against staff for delay, how much
power they get from Transco etc.

The issue had been hanging fire for quite some time. In fact, the
Delhi government had written to the Centre last month seeking their
clarification. The issue had also rocked the ongoing session of Delhi
Assembly.

sarbajit roy