Govt’s no to RTI for political parties: nearer the church, farther from god

After the CIC order, India became the third country– others are Poland and Nepal—among around 100 with a transparency law which covered its political parties. The CIC’s order was based on its conclusion that political parties receive government land at subsidized rates, tax exemptions and many other benefits which bring them within the definition of organisations “substantially financed” by the government.

It is clear that the majority of the political parties and the union government are afraid of intelligent use of RTI rather than any misuse of it. It is clear that people i.e. RTI appellants, would be interested in the funding of political parties which has been a very grey area, rather than their functioning.

Those exemptions the political parties and the government want can be claimed even with the present exemption clause 8(1) d of the RTI Act which says that “Information including commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party, unless the competent authority is satisfied that larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information” can be denied.

These parties, their legislatures, passed one of the most easy-to-use transparency laws in 2005, but just before the RTI Act completes a decade, the government’s affidavit seems to be a step backward from the
possible reform of funding of political parties.

It is believed that Congress, now in opposition, has asked its functionaries to use the transparency law to expose the misdeeds of the central government. The BJP does the same in the states where it is in opposition. Other parties are doing it as well. The current PMO website speaks of the government’s “Quest for Transparency” but it is clear from its affidavit to the Supreme Court that the old adage holds true: nearer the church,farther from god.