Ask the right questions Look for balance
With reference to the Chinese Whispers item, “Think before you ask” (September 27), the advisory from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Right to Information (RTI) appears justifiably rational and perhaps, is applicable to the many, who keep asking questions or seeking information without doing their “homework”.
According to the report, PMO desires that (a) information already available in the public domain need not be sought under RTI, (b) information should be sought from the ministries/departments concerned and (c) PMO should not be expected to collate information from different authorities/agencies and furnish it to the seeker.
Prima facie, the guidance does not appear to be aimed at avoiding responsibility or one coming out of stress. It is another matter that the refinements proposed may reduce the comfort level of some RTI “activists”, who misguide their “clientele”, giving an impression that RTI is a shortcut for solving every problem in which the government or any other body covered under RTI has a role.
Just as Question Hour in legislatures can be time well spent on discussion of public and governance issues — leading to fresh ideas and acceptable solutions — if legislators do the minimum homework before raising questions or giving responses and further discussions are well informed, RTI also can become a tool for digging out “hidden” information that helps resolve day-to-day problems of citizens. The guidance from PMO needs to be seen in this perspective.
M G Warrier Mumbai scale up their operations and join the big league in the audit profession.
If such MFR is coupled with loosening of existing guidelines for audit firms relating to advertising, solicitation and affiliation to foreign networks, it is likely to provide further boost to small and medium-sized audit firms in India.
There is bound to be a significant amount of churning in the auditors of listed and other large companies once MFR comes into effect after April 2017. Whether this increased volatility will enhance auditor independence and increase the size of the audit profession or lead to its shrinkage due to disincentives — in the form of class action suits, higher regulatory oversight and increased compliance costs for companies — is something only time will tell.
At present, the audit profession in India is focusing on new requirements, including the audits of internal financial controls over financial reporting and audits in accordance with Ind AS standards (a quantum leap compared to the existing accounting standards in India).
In a democratic country with a free market, the success of any profession ultimately depends on its ability to regulate itself so as to reduce the gap between its performance and the expectations of its stakeholders. Srijit Basu Gurgaon In the piece, “Legalising the right to photocopy” (September 26), Anuradha Salhotra’s reasoning for finding a rationale in the Delhi High Court judgment is not convincing. Her argument that “evolution is based on copying” is ludicrous. That it is a blatant infringement of copyright for monetary gain by a shopkeeper should be ignored?
Dev Robinson’s build-up of his argument is rational. He concludes that the judgment could result in destruction of the academic press.
I hope publishers seek an appeal and that a higher court interprets the statute in a balanced way, punishing the wrongdoers and encouraging healthy intellectual activity.
Dr N Subrahmanyam Hyderabad