RTI Response on Indian Crypto Ban Cabinet Note Reveals Ground Reality

Amid all chaos that surrounded crypto regulations in India, the country’s trusted crypto regulatory media platform, Crypto Kanoon filed the RTI, seeking the bottom reality of the Cabinet Note.

Coinpedia Interviewed Mr.Danish to understand what does the mean for crypto regulations in India.

Coinpedia – What’s your recent RTI means for crypto regulations in India?

Mr.Danish – On 12th June, news published in the Economictimes claimed that Govt. is intending to pass a law on the infamous Banning of Cryptocurrency……… Bill 2019 (Crypto Bill) and that Ministry of Finance has already moved a cabinet note for inter-ministerial consultation in this regard.

This news caused enormous confusion as the same was merely based on surmises. Therefore this RTI was primarily filed to check the veracity of this news and also to know the proposal contained in this cabinet note.

The response to this RTI revealed very crucial information about how the Govt. is looking at this entire issue. In this response, the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) discloses the fact that the Banning of Cryptocurrency …….Bill, 2019 has not been approved by the Government yet.

It further says that now this Bill is to be examined by the Government through Inter-ministerial consultation. It is pertinent to explain here that the word “Government”, used by DEA in this response, refers to “Ministry of Finance” and not “Parliament” or “Cabinet Secretariat” which means that this Crypto bill does not conform to the satisfaction of the Finance Ministry.

It is however unclear and quite pre-mature to say that the Ministry of Finance will make substantial changes in this bill to reject the idea of a complete ban on Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin etc.

However, it seems that the Ministry of Finance does not want to proceed with this Crypto bill for parliamentary clearance in the present form.

Considering the aforesaid, it can be inferred that the Indian Government has not yet finalized upon its policy around Crypto regulation and is still open to suggestions which are in fact a very good sign as this reconsideration may also pave the way for Crypto friendly regulation in India.

Coinpedia – Since global regulators showing a positive stance on cryptocurrency, do you think that the Indian Govt will also follow the suit?

Mr.Danish – It is true that India has always been very calculated in regulating new technologies. Internet was made available for public use in India in 1995 but the law relating to Computers and the Internet came into force as late as in the year 2000 i.e., Information Technology Act, 2000.

The regulatory developments happening in other parts of the world are crucial in many aspects and when it comes to Crypto, this technology gives very little discretion or the option to the lawmakers.

As Andreas Says, “You Cannot Ban Bitcoin In Your Country, You Can Only Ban Your Country Out Of Bitcoin.” 

Therefore I believe that in this age of globalization, it is hard to believe that any country can afford to isolate itself from the entire world.

Coinpedia – If there’s a crypto ban in India (as recently suggested in a cabinet note), which sector of the crypto industry will be majorly affected in India?

Mr.Danish – The present bill contemplates a blanket ban on everything related to Cryptocurrencies. If this bill is converted into law in the present form, then no sector can survive.

It prescribes punishments for every activity from mining, holding, advertising, promoting, buying, selling to providing exchange services.

Coinpedia: What’s your advice for the ‘Indian crypto industry’ if Govt bans crypto in India?

Mr.Danish – If the Govt. decides to pass a law banning Crypto, this law can be challenged by Crypto business, traders, or enthusiasts based on various rights available to them under the Constitution. 

They can challenge this law before the Supreme Court under Article 32 and before High Courts under Article 226 of the Constitution. 

Original Source to the Interview - https://coinpedia.org/news/interview-on-rti-response-on-indian-crypto-ban-cabinet-note/ 

Akosha lets you resolve complaints against any brand in India

Have you ever felt pissed off talking over phone to companies/brands from whom you have purchased product or services and it is not working well and is faulty. Then there is an organized way of filing complaints against leading brands in India and get resolution as well.

Akosha is an online consumer forum platform for consumers to lodge their complaints against any brand in India. If you have complaint against any brand ( e.g. airtel, flipkart, lg, samsung, etc) you can file a complaint, Akosha then take the complaint directly to the escalation team of the company and update you over phone and SMS.

This is first of its kind online service in India, where people can submit complaints against any brand in India by submitting online form and few details, Akosha then take up these consumer complaints with the escalation departments of brand against whom the complaint has been submitted and try to resolve. Once you file the complaint Akosha in the background send a well drafted letter explaining the details of your complaint along with the inconvenience caused to you.

Moreover, if any brand fails to resolve the consumers' complains, Akosha even helps to take it forward to respective consumer courts of their cities across India and helps consumers approaching these consumer courts by preparing required documentation and paperwork. Akosha works for complaint against brands/companies in various sectors such as banking, insurance, e-commerce, real estate, telecom, appliances, product companies etc.

Deepak Yadav whose complaint was against Airtel was resolved by Akosha, he says in testimonials - "Akosha follow up with the complaint got resolved my complaint within 3 days"

You could register a complaint for free however for further manual process and consumer court cases Akosha charge a fixed processing fee of Rs.499 for the service it provide irrespective of refund or extra compensation any user get from the brand/company against whom complaint has been lodged.

Akosha is a Delhi startup and works with 350+ brands/companies and so far received about 3,00,000+ complaints since year 2010 when it was started. Akosha is planning to launch mobile apps for iOS, Android, Windows etc. with ability to take a snapshot with your mobile, of any product you purchase and send it directly to the company if you have any complaint.

How to File RTI Online in India

Have you ever felt of using your right to information, introduced in year 2005 in India, under which any citizen of India may ask information from a government/public body and then the same has to reply within 30 days.

To file online RTI, primarily one has to file in person with an amount of Rs 10 either in cash or demand draft/treasury challan. In case you are wondering for online options there are 3 websites that have emerged to help you file online RTIs on behalf of you, charge a nominal fee and after giving right information you have to  just sit-back and relax.

UPDATE: Government of India has also launched RTI Portal - www.rtionline.gov.in which can be used by Indian citizens to file RTI application online and also to make payment for RTI application online by submitting a fee of Rs 10 via Internet banking through SBI and its associated banks.

At present, an applicant who desires to obtain any information under the RTI Act can make a request through this Web Portal to only Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

RTINation.com

Application Fee - Rs.250

RTInation draft a copy of application as per the information provided by you and email you the drafted application you than have to sign it  and send back via email. The application than take 2-3 days for processing. The response received from the department RTI has been files, will be sent directly to you. You can make the application fee payment via netbanking, debit card, visa credit card.

Swaraaj.net

Application fee - Rs75

Swaraaj.net is more simplified interface in terms drafting application on behalf of you, it also provide you the option for response to be received directly to you or via Swaraaj and in later case Swaraaj can advise you regarding your options to respond to concerned body/department you have filed your RTI application.

To my surprise the portal service is being run single handed by E Varathkanth. The payment of nominal fee can be made via almost any online payment method through instamojo.

OnlineRTI.com

Application fee - FREE

The best & serious online RTI website as yet moreover as the portal is in beta/ public-testing phase, it has made the lodging online RTI completely FREE. You can also track you application status through the website itself can even contact 24/7 online customer support (no telephonic support). The response of RTI application will be sent directly to you.

For filing RTI application online, there is no government initiative yet, however, in case you have been denied, refused to access information you have filed RTI for, you may than file complaint before the Central Information Commission (CIC), for this you can go to government portal - http://rti.india.gov.in and file online "RTI complaint" here (not to be confused with RTI application)  for free and can even track the status of your complaint there.