About us

  
 

National RTI Forum (NRF) was formed with a sincere and genuine effort to bring all the RTI activists together for all the RTI activists and activities. Later it expanded into related works like Transparency in Governance and Anti-corruption campaigns. Thus today NRF is working primarily in the field of Right to Information, Transparency in Governance and Anti-corruption campaigns to the best of its capabilities. It is also a Forum to look into all the matters related with RTI activists, including their training, guidance, support and security related aspects.


The Forum started as a part of Institute for research and Documentation in Social Sciences (IRDS) which is a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act 1869. Soon National RTI Forum got an independent status by getting registered as a Public Charitable Trust under section 6 of the Indian Trusts Act 1882. It was registered in the officer of the Sub-Registrar; Lucknow through a deed executed on 12/07/2010.  The name of the Trust has been decided to be "National RTI Forum”.  

The principal office of the Trust is situated at 5/426, Viram Khand, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow. The Trust may also carry on its work at any other place or places, as decided by the Trustees.

 

  
 

The Begining

 

National RTI Forum started with a meeting organized ar IIM Lucknow in remembrance of Sri Satish Satish, the slain RTI activist from Pune. We present the brief account of the meeting--

Today IRDS Lucknow in support with Manjunath Trust organized a Meeting at IIM Lucknow to remember Sri Satish Shetty, the late RTI activist from Pune.  

 

Sri Shetty, who was born in an ordinary family in Lonavla, Mumbai did his matriculation from Bal Vikas Vidyalaya but did not pursue his higher studies as he was not really interested in that kind of bookish knowledge. He used the Right to Information Act many a times to expose corruption and to bring forth truth. Some of his important works included irregularities in land acquisition by the Sable-Waghire Company and IRB Infrastructure Developer in the IRB land scam case, Vaishali Marriage Hall case, Ration Card Scam and exposure of illegal Bungalow construction by a former president of the Talegaon Dabhade Municipal Council.


Sri Shetty was brutally attacked and murdered by some assailants at a newspaper stall at Talegaon Dabhade on Januaryb 13, while he was on his morning walk. On January 14, the Bombay High Court took suo moto cognizance of his murder of Satish Shetty. It was a historic decision and one of the rarest kinds. Ironically Sri Shetty had applied for police protection about ten days before his murder but did not get the required protection. So far 5 out of 6 supposed assailants have been arrested in the case, including a lawyer, Vijay Dabhade (42) whose illegal constructions Sri Shetty had exposed. Not satisfied with the investigation so far, his brother Sri Sandip has moved the High Court of Bombay in a PIL already pending there.

In the meeting, organized many RTI activists and students of IIM Lucknow made their participation. The meeting paid homage to Sri Shety. Serious objections were raised about the fact that Sri Shetty was not provided security by the local police despite his having specially asked for it. That too when it was well-known that he was on target of many such persons whom he had exposed. Those present in the meeting were really perturbed by this fact that life of a person like Sri Shetty got lost  because of this apathy. Concerns were also raised about the progress in the investigation so far. While 5 accused are said to have been arrested, yet as per Sri  Sandip’s version many of the real culprits seem to remain untouched so far. It was hoped that with the High Court’s persistent interference, truth might come out soon.

Of those present in the meeting IPS officer Amitabh Thakur  spoke about Sri Shetty  and his great contributions.  Utkarsh Kumar Sinha from CCS implored the condition of the RTI activists in Lucknow. Vishal Gupta, FPM student, IIM Lucknow spoke about Sri Manjunath, his contributions and his murder case. He also spoke about the works done by the Manjunath trust so far. Rajhans Mishra from IIM Lucknow spoke about the need to have a state-wide awareness about RTI and its various facets.  Mahendra Kumar from Project Vijay narrated many of his personal experiences and hardships in using RTI. Advocate Jagnarain Sharma severely criticized the fact that the main accused of this heinous murder was an advocate and said that it is people like these who give a bad name to the entire profession. Amit Kumar Pandey from Lucknow University also paid his respect by saying that both Sri Shetty and Sri Manjunath belonged to the same highest category of persons who sacrificed their life for a great cause.  RTI activist Akhilesh Saxena said that there was an immediate need to form some kind of association for aiding and assisting all RTI activists in their proper functioning. Hence a decision was taken to form a “RTI Forum” where all the RTI activists shall be brought together. This RTI Forum shall act as a nodal body for all the RTI activists and activities. It shall look into all the matters related with RTI activists in consideration, including their training, guidance, support and security related aspects. In addition Dr Mukesh Mishra of Archaeology Department, Anupam Mishra of Agrani Foundation and other students of IIM also expressed their views. Finally Dr Nutan Thakur from IRDS Lucknow thanked everyone. 

 
  Aims and Objectives  
  1. To work in the field of Right to Information
2. To make a sincere and genuine effort through this Forum to bring all the RTI activists together to work in a cohesive manner
3. To act as a nodal body for all the RTI activists and activities
4. To look into all matters related with RTI activists
5.  To work for the training of the RTI activists
6. To provide guidance and support to the RTI activists
7. To look into all kinds of security related aspects of RTI activists
8. To create awareness of the RTI Act among the common masses
9. To keep a watchful eye at the RTI Act
10. To keep advocating for the further betterment of the legal provisions of the RTI Act
11. To try to make Right to Information a mass movement
12. To do all such works as Seminars, work-shops, representations, public meetings etc. to fulfil the above needs
13. To do Publication work for the above-mentioned cause
14. To give awards to the deserving RTI activists
 
     
  Our services  
  1. Give guidance in framing and formulating petitions under RTI
2. Give continuous support to those who are trying to use the provisions of the RTI Act
3. Raise the voice of the RTI activists at all appropriate Forums and platforms
4. Provide suitable persons to send their RTI applications, in case they fear sending it in their own name due to a variety of reasons
  
     
  Our structure  
  The Forum has its State’s representatives in each State. There are three kinds of State representatives. They are the State General Secretary, the Coordinator and the Counselor.  
     
  Roles and Responcibilities of our team members  
  Roles and Functions of General Secretary
1. To be in-charge of the general functioning of the RTI Forum in the State
2. To be in regular correspondence and interaction with the National RTI Forum on all matters of relevance
3. To act as per the advice and requests made by the National Forum
4. To be in regular interaction with the State Coordinators and State Counselors
5. To appoint people, with the general concurrence of the State Coordinators and State Counselors, in honorary positions at the State level for the furtherance of the cause
6. To keep track of matters of relevance related with RTI, RTI activities and RTI activists and make suitable suggestions to the National Forum in all these matters

Roles and Functions of State Coordinators
1. To work in the overall guidance of the State General secretary and to assist him/her in the Forum’s work
2. To coordinate the activities of all the members, organizations and groups associated with the National RTI Forum and the State RTI Forum
3. To make a list of all such members, organizations and groups associated with the National and State  Forum and to suitably amend it from time to time
4. To guide and direct these members, organizations and groups regarding different works related with RTI in the State
5. To assist and aid the General Secretary, along with the State Counselors, to make further honorary appointments to State Forums
6. To be in regular communication with the National Forum

Roles and Functions of State Counselors
1. To work in the overall guidance of the State General secretary
2. To help, aid, assist and counsel all the members, organizations and groups associated with the National RTI Forum and the State RTI Forum in theoretical and legal matters pertaining to RTI
3. To keep track of the happenings on the RTI front in the State and to intimate the National forum about them
4. To analyze the overall situation of RTI performance of the State government and also to analyze important individual cases
5. To analyze and study the overall performance of the State Information Commission and also to analyze important individual cases
6. To assist and aid the General Secretary, along with the State Coordinators, to make further honorary appointments to State Forums
7. To be in regular communication with the National Forum