8th Annual Convention of Central Information Commission Concluded at New Delhi

The two day 8th Annual Convention of Central Information Commission concluded at New Delhi on 3 September 2013. The convention was inaugurated on 2 September 2013 by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. The theme of the convention was Eight years of RTI: A Retrospective. A noted historian and columnist, Ramachandra Guha delivered the keynote address on Democracy in India: Mid-life Crisis.

The 2-day convention had three technical sessions on RTI and inclusive growth, RTI-an anti-corruption tool and Media and RTI with eminent panelists taking part in the sessions.

Sessions of the Convention

• The convention had two sessions on RTI- an anti-corruption tool and Media & RTI. The panel discussion on RTI as an anti corruption tool had the legendry former Chief Election Commissioner J. M. Lyngdoh, Pratyush Sinha, the former CVC, well known RTI activist Subhash Agrawal and Anjali Bhardwaj and Shailesh Gandhi, the former information Commissioner and himself no mean RTI activist.
• M. L. Sharma, Information Commissioner and former Special Director, CBI moderated the session and brought his considerable experience in fighting corruption to bear on the discussion.

Panel Discussions

• The discussions were held on the need of electoral reforms and the role the RTI can play in that.
• Apart from this, the discussion was held on how the RTI can prevent and contain corruption in public life not only by promoting transparency in the decision making process but also by continuous public interrogation of those in authority.
• The last panel discussion included relationship between the media and RTI with eminent media persons participating in the discussion.
• The discussion was also held about the relationship between RTI and the media and the mutually complementary and supportive role they play.