The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Central
Government, Election Commission of India and the six National Political Parties
- BJP, Cong, BSP, CPI, CPI(M) and NCP, while admitting a petition filed by the
Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Mr. Subhash Chandra Agrawal on
19th May 2015 to declare all the six national political parties as "public
authorities". It was issued by 3 member SC bench headed by Chief Justice
HL Dattu on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an NGO, Association
for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The bench comprised of Justice Arun Kumar Mishra
and Justice Amitava Roy . In the PIL, the NGO had sought Transparency and
accountability in functioning of political parties. Political parties should be
more transparent in their working and accountable towards citizens as they play
an important role in the formation of government, policy decisions and
enactment of laws. Compulsion on the political parties to declare all donations
below 20,000 rupees. The petition was filed in SC after the Central Information
Commission (CIC) failed to bring the National Political Parties as Public
Authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act. Earlier. CIC in its detailed order
had declared that the Political Parties are public authorities and hence should
disclose the information under RTI Act
Appearing for ADR, Counsel Prashant Bhushan told the court
that under the present law, political parties exercise significant power under
the anti-defection provisions given in the constitution when they can unseat
representatives elected by the people if they vote against the wishes of the
party.
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