Dynamite News Plea in SC for bringing political parties under RTI
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to declare all registered and recognised political parties as "public authority" under the Right to Information Act.
New Delhi: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to declare all registered and recognised political parties as "public authority" under the Right to Information Act.
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The plea, filed by BJP leader and advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, said, "As per section 29C of the Representation of People Act, donations received by political parties are required to be reported to the Election Commission of India. This obligation points towards their public character.
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"Therefore, this court can declare that political parties are a 'Public Authority' under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005 by reading Tenth Schedule of the Constitution with sections 29A, 29B and 29C of the RPA," it said.
The plea further said that the power of ECI to allot election symbols to political parties for their recognition and can suspend or withdraw it in violation of the Model Code of Conduct was indicative of their public character.
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"Moreover, the Political Parties get tax exemptions, which amounts to indirect financing of the Political Parties in terms of Section 2(h) of the RTI Act," it said.