I have filed a PIL in the Madras High Court, through advocate MV Swaroop @TnagarTornado who was kind enough to take up this matter and argue it in court, seeking to strengthen the RTI regime in this country.
1. The constitution of a "Special COVID Bench" at the Central Info Commission & Tamil Nadu SIC to hear pandemic related matters on a priority basis because they may become infructuous if the normal waiting time of 2 years is followed.
2. It also seeks a unique email ID to be created by every public authority to receive RTIs & Appeals concerning life and liberty during this pandemic. This was ordered by the CIC in April but as expected, no action by @DoPTGoI
3. For the long term, it seeks fixing of guidelines for the disposal of cases at the Info Commissions. Due to various reasons it takes almost 2 years for the matter to be heard. Cases do not involve complex legal arguments and it is cruel to keep people waiting for 2 years.
4. Lastly, it seeks separate guidelines to hear matters concerning life and liberty at the Information Commissions & tighter timeframes on First Appellate Authorities to dispose of such life and liberty first appeals.
All these as per many observations of Supreme Court and HCs.
The Modi govt managed to dilute the RTI Act in 2019. It is time that we citizens fiercely protect our rights and fight to strengthen this law that has helped lakhs of people solve their problems and helped bring in transparency and accountability✊
There is great confusion over DDA Tree Felling case being withdrawn from Justice Abhay Oka’s Bench. Let me break it down.
1. The issue of ridge- both forest ridge and morphological ridge in Delhi has always been a part of MC Mehta case (since 1985). This was before Oka J.
2. There is also the TN Godavarman case which is about larger forests etc. before Justice BR Gavai’s bench.
3. On 6 Dec 2023 the CEC filed Report no.36 of 2023 in MC Mehta case recommending that approval be granted to DDA for construction of approach roads to CAPFIMS in the Satbari area.
4. On 15 February 2024, in MC Mehta case before Oka, an IA was filed by the DDA requesting felling of 1051 trees for the approach roads. While this was pending, the DDA allegedly on orders of LG went ahead and cut the trees anyway.
Although Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud promised 14 opposition parties of safeguarding them against misuse of CBI and ED in April 2023, he has failed to list 3 "crucial cases" in the past 20 months of his 24-month tenure. A 🧵.
At the Oxford Union Society lecture on 4 June 2024, Chief Justice Chandrachud talked about how courts “step in” when “the State may be unwilling to balance [individual] rights against weighty purposes.”
Yet, three crucial cases pertaining the draconian PMLA linger before him.
These cases that directly challenge or raise questions about the constitutionality of various provisions of the “draconian” Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 (PMLA) and impact its administration have remained unheard for the past 12 to 55 months.
The 3 new criminal laws have been criticised for their potential to violate human rights. HM Amit Shah had claimed "extensive consultation" done but attempts to know details of inputs given failed at Supreme Court, HCs, Home Min.
The new laws will be effective from 1st of July. They increase police powers by increasing time period for police custody, leading to fears of custodial torture, introduce special offences like terrorism without any safeguards, and bring back sedition. Amit Shah in his speech...
...claimed to have sought views from “... all governors, chief ministers, lieutenant governors, administrators… the CJI, chief justices of all high courts, bar councils, law universities… all MPs, all MLAs… all Indian Police Service officers, and all collectorates”. 3/13
#Important: I have found 2 instances of alleged irregularities in allocation of government bungalows to certain Rajya Sabha MPs.
While opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mahua Moitra, Raghav Chadha were evicted or attempted to be evicted from their allocated bungalows…
1/9
…in Delhi with great haste, when it comes to leaders from friendly/alliance parties to the BJP, the government’s own norms & rules have been violated with impunity.
To understand the irregularity, we have to understand how allocation is done.
The Housing Committee of the Rajya Sabha makes recommendations. It is currently chaired by BJP MP C.M. Ramesh and the allocations here have happened under him.
First-time MPs are entitled to a Type-5 accommodation in the normal course,
A group that has documented over 3,000 news stories and 1,600 videos of minority persecution and hate speech by right-wing Hindu groups, @HindutvaWatchIn, has become inaccessible in India, on d orders of the central government. A 🧵
On 16 Jan- X complied with the IT Ministry's directive to block access to @HindutvaWatchIn's account in India. The reasons are unknown, its founder @raqib_naik told me.
On 19 Jan- IT Min issued a notice to Raqib stating that they may block the website too. Days later, they did.
The website maybe available on some servers, but an open-source resource reveals tampering with d website in India.
Modi’s government has been criticised for suppressing tweets, posts, user accounts, access to news reports, media websites, and investigative documentaries
As the year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the journey that the past 12 months have been—a chapter filled with growth and the joy of sharing my passion with all of you. I am profoundly grateful for the overwhelming support and encouragement. A 🧵.
In Jan, I published an expose that revealed past hate speeches delivered by a soon-to-be High Court judge, Victoria Gowri. The article was very well received & led to a 2-day drama that included an urgent hearing at the Supreme Court. For @Article14live.