Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas, a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has called for the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust, established by the central government, to be brought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Brittas argued that the trust was created through a government act and therefore should be subject to the same transparency and accountability provisions that apply to other public bodies.
Brittas made the remarks during a parliamentary session on Monday, noting that the trust was formed by a law enacted by the Indian Parliament. He said the trust’s operations, financial statements and decision‑making processes should be accessible to the public under the RTI Act, which mandates that all public authorities disclose information unless an exemption applies.
The Ram Janmabhoomi Trust was set up in 1992 to oversee the construction of a temple at the site of the disputed Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. Since its inception, the trust has been controlled by the central government and has received substantial public funding. Critics of the trust have long argued that its activities should be subject to greater scrutiny.
Brittas’s call follows a broader debate in Parliament about the application of the RTI Act to trusts and companies that receive public money. The trust’s legal status, however, has not been formally challenged in court, and no precedent exists for applying RTI to a trust created by an act of Parliament.
Analysis:
The request to extend RTI coverage to the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust raises questions about the scope of the Act. While the RTI Act applies to all public authorities, the definition of a “public authority” has been the subject of judicial interpretation. In the past, the Supreme Court has ruled that trusts established by Parliament may not automatically fall under RTI unless they are explicitly declared a public authority. If the trust is deemed a public authority, it would be required to disclose its records, potentially exposing financial practices and decision‑making processes that have been opaque. Conversely, if the trust remains outside RTI jurisdiction, its operations could continue without mandatory public disclosure, reinforcing concerns about accountability.
The move also highlights the ongoing tension between religious institutions backed by the state and the principles of transparency enshrined in India’s constitution. Whether the trust will be brought under RTI will depend on legislative clarification or judicial intervention.
Sources:
– “Bring Ram Janmabhoomi Trust within RTI purview: CPI(M) leader John Brittas,” The Hindu, https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bring-ram-janmabhoomi-trust-within-rti-purview-cpim-leader-john-brittas/article71185196.ece
Story synopsis gathered from: The Hindu – National — source
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