Supreme Court Pushes for RTI Transparency in Political Parties

The Supreme Court is reviewing pleas to bring political parties under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Hearings involve the government and several political entities, prompted by concerns about transparency and election-related black money. The aim is to designate parties as 'public authorities,' ensuring accountability to the public.

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre, the election commission, and six political parties to provide written responses concerning pleas that propose to include them under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. This crucial move aims at fostering accountability and curbing the influx of black money during elections.

Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar are overseeing two public interest litigations, submitted by the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and lawyer Ashwini Updhyay. The court has set a non-miscellaneous day for final hearings, demanding concise written arguments by April 21.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan highlighted that ADR's plea has been pending for a decade. The ongoing petitions urge classifying political parties as 'public authorities,' expanding the coverage of the RTI Act. This classification would compel parties to disclose donations, including sub-20,000 rupee contributions, promoting transparency and accountability.