Date:15/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/15/stories/2008091554100500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

NZ Governor-General meets Information Commissioners

Special Correspondent

Meeting discusses implementation of RTI Act

HYDERABAD: Visiting Governor-General of New Zealand Anand Satyanand on Sunday met Chief Information Commissioner of India Wajahat Habibullah and Chief Information Commissioner of State C.D. Arha to exchange views on the implementation of Information Acts in the two countries.

The meeting at a star hotel was arranged as part of the itinerary of Mr. Satyanand whose forefathers hailed from Rajahmundry.

Mr. Satyanand was the ombudsman of the Freedom of Information Act in New Zealand for ten out of 20 years that the legislation had been in force till now.

Mr. Habibullah told The Hindu that the meeting discussed how the Right to Information (RTI) Act of India was much more advanced than the New Zealand legislation.

Covers three organs

The Indian Act covered all three organs of democracy – legislature, executive and the judiciary – but only executive was brought under the purview in New Zealand.

The Chief Information Commissioner of India said it was a lively discussion wherein Mr. Satyanand gave an overview of how the Act functioned in New Zealand.

The Governor-General emphasised that such legislation was absolutely necessary in a democracy.

Mr. Arha explained that 38 per cent of petitions under the RTI originated from rural areas in the State.

The State government accorded top priority to implementation of RTI Act, the Governor-General was told.