New Delhi: In a statement, the National Campaign for Peoples’ Right to Information (NCPRI) has said that it welcomed the opportunity of discussing the National Sports Development Bill put up for comments by the Sports Ministry.
It said that the NCPRI has been a strong and vocal campaigner for a transparent and participatory pre- legislative process in law making, and therefore applauds the efforts of the Ministry to engage with the same. “In addition, the NCPRI is also pleased to note that this bill seeks to set up grievance redress mechanisms along with an independent Appellate Tribunal, to ensure accountability in its internal functioning,” said the statement issued by the NCPRI.
Though the NCPRI supports the inclusion of strong transparency measures in the Draft Bill, it calls for the deletion of Chapter 8 of the Bill.
“We believe that specific exemptions to disclosure of information under the RTI Act contained in this Chapter are unnecessary. For example matters like the health of players etc are already exempted from the purview of the RTI Act through Section 8(j) as it deals with the privacy of individuals,” said the statement, adding that the NCPRI otherwise welcomes the thrust on ensuring transparency and accountability in other parts of the Bill.
The NCPRI suggested that every time a sports body received financial or other assistance, including use of facilities free or at non-commercial rates, etc. the Sports Ministry should make it conditional for the sports body to accept the fact that it has been “substantially financed” by the Government for the purposes of any law in for the time being in force.
“That the sports ministry, as a precondition to the recognition, registration, accreditation, or support to any sports body or any other related agency, has the right to unconditionally access full information from that body pertaining to either the recognition, registration, accreditation or support given, or to any other matter of public interest,” said the statement.