New Delhi: The CIC order on bringing parties under RTI ambit on Tuesday divided the political class, with Congress and few others rejecting it while main Opposition BJP saw nothing wrong in such a move.

A day after the CIC gave its ruling, Congress termed it as an “adventurist” approach that would harm democratic institutions.

Its view was echoed by CPI (M) and BJPs ally JD (U), which also rejected the order passed by the quasi-judicial body.

“It is not acceptable. We totally disagree with it. Such adventurist approach will create lot of harm and damage to democratic institutions,” informed AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi.

The CPI (M), in a statement, said it cannot accept the CIC order that political parties are to be treated as public authorities and brought under the purview of the Right to Information Act (RTI).

“This decision is based on a fundamental misconception about the role of political parties in a parliamentary democracy,” it said, adding “This will interfere with and hamper the functioning of a political party”. Expressing astonishment and shock, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav said the order was no way justified as political parties are not shops.

The CIC held that 6 national parties — Congress, BJP, NCP, CPI (M), CPI and BSP have been substantially funded indirectly by the central government and they have the character of public authority under the RTI Act as they perform public functions.

RTI is one of the historic measures of the Congress-led UPA government in its first term, introduced at the behest of Sonia Gandhi for greater transparency and accountability in government and government-funded bodies.

CPI (M) felt that opponents of a political party can utilize the RTI as an instrument to destabilize a party.

JD (U) chief Yadav wondered how it was possible for political parties to divulge information about inner matters.

“It is not practical to share resolutions of the parties, which are made in the executive committee meetings and also to share the process of selection of candidates for the party organizations”, he said.

Yadav also questioned why the CIC is only looking at political parties and not at cricket bodies like BCCI where anomalies are happening.He also hinted that his party will raise this issue in the monsoon session of Parliament.