KMC shuts door on RTI; doctors, activists worried
TNN | Jan 6, 2019, 08.05 AM IST
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ENGALURU: The Karnataka Medical Council (KMC) has announced that it does not fall under the purview of the Right To Information Act, 2005 and will not accept any queries under the law.
The council registrar has, in a notification, explained that an examination of the audited financial statements revealed the KMC had not obtained financial assistance of “considerable quantum” and hence it is not a public authority, according to the RTI Act.
Upholding the KMC contention, the Karnataka Information Commission (KIC) too had earlier in October 2018 disposed of an appeal, saying the KMC is not a public authority. TOI has copies of the public notification issued by KMC and the KIC order exempting it from the purview of RTI.
The KMC stand has come as a shocker for the medical community, which is planning to appeal further.
Dr Manu Ayan, an emergency medicine specialist from Kerala, had filed an RTI, seeking information about the number of registered emergency medicine practitioners in Karnataka. “I was baffled when I saw the KMC’s response rejecting my application. It’s not so in any other state,” said Dr Manu.
“In a way, the medical council is stating that it’s not accountable to anyone and nobody can question it,” said Dr Sylvia Karpagam, a public health expert. “Who are they answerable to then? The state government diluted the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (KPME) amendments, stating that the KMC exists. And now the KMC, which is neither accountable to patients, says it is not accountable to the public as it’s above RTI,” she said.
RTI activists too are aghast over the KIC order. “KIC’s interference is unwarranted. This is unacceptable,” said Vikram Simha, RTI activist from Kriya Katte. He pointed out that the KMC draws its powers from a law framed by the state.
Incidentally, the KMC is the state chapter of the Medical Council of India, which is covered under RTI.
TNN | Jan 6, 2019, 08.05 AM IST
BENGALURU: The Karnataka Medical Council (KMC) has announced that it does not fall under the purview of the Right To Information Act, 2005 and will not accept any queries under the law.
The council registrar has, in a notification, explained that an examination of the audited financial statements revealed the KMC had not obtained financial assistance of “considerable quantum” and hence it is not a public authority, according to the RTI Act.
Upholding the KMC contention, the Karnataka Information Commission (KIC) too had earlier in October 2018 disposed of an appeal, saying the KMC is not a public authority. TOI has copies of the public notification issued by KMC and the KIC order exempting it from the purview of RTI.
The KMC stand has come as a shocker for the medical community, which is planning to appeal further.
Dr Manu Ayan, an emergency medicine specialist from Kerala, had filed an RTI, seeking information about the number of registered emergency medicine practitioners in Karnataka. “I was baffled when I saw the KMC’s response rejecting my application. It’s not so in any other state,” said Dr Manu.
“In a way, the medical council is stating that it’s not accountable to anyone and nobody can question it,” said Dr Sylvia Karpagam, a public health expert. “Who are they answerable to then? The state government diluted the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (KPME) amendments, stating that the KMC exists. And now the KMC, which is neither accountable to patients, says it is not accountable to the public as it’s above RTI,” she said.
RTI activists too are aghast over the KIC order. “KIC’s interference is unwarranted. This is unacceptable,” said Vikram Simha, RTI activist from Kriya Katte. He pointed out that the KMC draws its powers from a law framed by the state.
Incidentally, the KMC is the state chapter of the Medical Council of India, which is covered under RTI.
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