DAY 2- 26th July 2009 – What Does Your Vote Want?

What Does Your Vote Want?’ Is a non political, non partisan project both initiated and run by young people in 2008 that aims at sensitizing young voters, by giving them relevant and necessary information regarding the Indian Electoral System. The project successfully registered more than 4000 people in Delhi and Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

The natural question, post Elections 2009, is what next? How do we make young people active in governance processes? What Does Your Vote Want now goes on to launch a platform for governance accountability in collaboration with the India Habitat Centre, where the young people can directly dialogue with representatives from government to discuss their key issues and concerns.

In collaboration with the India Habitat Centre and the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, The YP Foundation is looking to explore and understand the role of the RTI Act in governance accountability through an interactive discussion entitled "The Right to Information = the Right to Accountability? Exploring the RTI Act", the first forum in this series.

The RTI Act has been an interesting success story in India. The forum examines the current status of the Act, it’s role as a tool of governance, accountability and transparency. With the current proposed amendments on the act by the Centre, it is critical to bring together organizations working with the act, experts in this field, representatives from the government and young people to examine the last four years of functioning of the Act and where it stands currently.

The audience comprises of youth from across the city, with the following speakers confirmed:

§ Mr. Salman Khurshid, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs and Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) in the Government of India, writer and lawyer.

§ Wajahat Habibullah, Chief Information Commissioner

§ Shekhar Singh, RTI expert, part of NCPRI

§ Manish Sisodia, Kabir

§ Representatives, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan

Chayan Adhikari (Vocalist: Advaita), will conclude the discussion with a performance.


Venue: Amaltas Hall, The India Habitat Centre
Event Partner: Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative & India Habitat Centre