RTI-PIL PANEL DISCUSSION

The much-awaited Panel Discussion on Right To Information and Public Interest Litigation took place on April 23rd, 2019, organised by the Club Service Avenue V – Legal  Literacy and Consumer Awareness of RI District 3141.

A galaxy of legal luminaries attended the Panel Discussion including: Retired Supreme Court Judge B. N. Srikrishna, Shailesh Gandhi (former Chief Information Commissioner), Dr. Milind Sathe (Senior Advocate, Bombay High Court), Rahul Wadke (Special Correspondent with The Hindu’s Business Line) and Jamshed Sukhadwalla (Engineer and RTI Activist). Moderating the panel discussion was Rtn. Jimmy Pochkhanawalla (Senior Advocate of the Bombay High Court).

The evening was anchored by Rtn. Satyan Israni (Avenue Co-Chair) and began with the customary singing of the National Anthem. Opening remarks by RCB’s partnering organisations followed: IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry and The Chamber of Tax Consultants. Rtn. Virendra Widge (Group Chief Avenue Head) gave a speech that provided a glimpse of the Rotary movement to over 135 members in the audience.

Rtn. Ashok Shetty (Avenue Chair) then introduced the Chief Guest for the evening, Justice (Retd.) B. N. Srikrishna who was presented with a memento at the hands of Rtn. Bharati Marfatia (Avenue Coordinator).

Satyan then introduced each of the panellists and the moderator, before the moderator took over the evening’s events and conducted the discussion.

It was an enthralling and lively panel discussion with each panellist putting forth his opinion eloquently. While each panellist had his own take on the usefulness of the RTI Act and its role in society, they all agreed that there was a rising trend of misuse of information availed under the RTI Act to settle scores, or for extortion, especially by using such information to file PILs and such motivated PILs needed to be weeded out of the system.

After the panel discussion, Rtn. Virendra Widge, Rtn. Ashok Shetty and Justice (Retd.) B. N. Srikrishna acknowledged the organisers’ efforts and the host clubs which were the Platinum Sponsor – Rotary Club of Bombay, Gold Sponsor – Rotary Club of Bombay Mid- Town and Silver Sponsors – Rotary Clubs of Bombay Seacoast, Mumbai Malabar Hill, Mumbai Shivaji Park and Bombay West.

The evening rounded off with a Vote of Thanks proposed by Rtn. Bharati Marfatia. The Rotary Club of Bombay was the main sponsor of the event and was represented by PP Rtn. Ashish Vaid, Rtn. Jimmy Pochkhanawalla, Rtn. Shivkumar Israni, Rtn. Moy Biswas, Rtn. Mahesh Khubchandani, Rtn. Mehernosh Dotivala, PP Rtn. Kalpana Munshi, Rtn. Ptn. Damini Kamdar, Rtn. Mehul Sampat and Rtn. Satyan Israni.