Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Case on RTI Act and Political Parties

The Supreme Court is set to hear petitions in April seeking to categorize political parties as 'public authorities' under the RTI Act, ensuring transparency. The plea argues that the parties' public character, demonstrated by government benefits, justifies the move, despite opposition from some political groups.

The Supreme Court of India has scheduled a hearing for April on several petitions that aim to classify political parties as 'public authorities' under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The bench, which includes the Chief Justice of India and Justice Sanjay Kumar, directed all parties involved to finalize their pleadings by April 21.

The petitions argue that both national and regional political parties should be subjected to the RTI Act due to their public nature. The Congressional party and the Bharatiya Janata Party, among others, have been named in these petitions. The petitions echo past directives from the Central Information Commission in 2013 and 2015, which recommended that parties enjoying tax benefits and government land qualify under the RTI Act.

Notably, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expressed support for financial transparency but argued against disclosing internal party decisions. The Central government contended that the Central Information Commission's orders alone are insufficient to mandate RTI compliance. Advocates urge political transparency by designating parties as public authorities, pointing to election regulations and tax exemptions as evidence of their public role.

(With inputs from agencies.)