NC decides to ask NA to withdraw RTI Bill

May 29, 2014

The National Council decided that they will ask the National Assembly to withdraw the Right to Information (RTI) Bill in this session. The House decided they will be unable to have a substantial discussion without any presentations and consultations on the bill.

The RTI Bill was passed by the Assembly in the last session.

The Foreign Relations Committee of the Council was directed to analyse and hold public consultations on the Right to Information Bill before tabling it to the house.

The Chairperson of the Committee, MP Karma Yezer Raydi, informed the House that they had requested the Department of Information and Media to make a presentation on the Bill. But the Committee, the Chairperson, said was asked the route the request through the Cabinet Secretary.

MP Karma Yezer Raydi said the NC’s Chairperson had brought the issue to the notice of the Prime Minister and the Information and the Communications Minister. He said committee was asked by the ministry to follow the procedure established by the committee of secretaries.

The National Council had received a copy of the letter asking them for a convenient time to present the bill just one day before this session. MP Karma Yezer Raydi said the rules of the House require the bill to be submitted at least three months before the session begins.

Many NC MPs got up to say they require enough time and presentation on the bill to take the discussion forward. They also questioned the MoIC’s reluctance to make the presentation on the Bill.