The Research Foundation for Governance in India (RFGI) is a think tank based in Ahmedabad, India, with the aim to research, promote, and enact legal and political changes in Gujarat and across India. RFGI acts as a consultant to help implement government reforms. The Foundation researches issues for legal reform in law and governance. It also sponsors public events to raise awareness, especially among youth.
RFGI’s definition of governance is based upon the one given by the European Commission: "rules, processes and behaviour that affect the way in which powers are exercised…. particularly as regards openness, participation, accountability, effectiveness and coherence""European Governance: A White Paper" – COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 2001, Brussels European Governance: A White Paper Pdf The Foundation is a non-partisan and independent organization which does not support any ideology, specific candidate, or party.
Introduction
Started in January 2009, the Research Foundation for Governance in India (RFGI) is an Ahmedabad-based think tank. RFGI is a think tank in the area of law and governance, with the idea of having citizenry, and especially youth, be more aware and participative to the legal processes in the country.
The objective of the Foundation is to help create strong processes of governance and an awareness of citizenry, primarily through seeking reforms in the legal and political arena by involving youth from different spheres.
RFGI aims to pursue this objective through spreading awareness of laws pertaining to governance, as well as by conducting research on key legal issues which affects governance of the country.
RFGI has a growing member-base of 600 members. This total includes eminent academicians, industrialists, lawyers, media professionals, policy-makers, politicians and students. The organisation has the potential to grow in the future, given the needs of political and legal reforms in the country.
Focus areas and activities
The activities of RFGI are mainly structured around three focus areas, titled: Awareness, Research, and Consultation.
Awareness initiatives One of the primary objectives of the foundation is to spread awareness on issues pertaining to governance and law amongst the citizens of India. The Foundation seeks to make people think about politics in a more positive way through making presentations and interactive sessions in schools and colleges, organising discussions and debates, and by getting more and more people interested in the process of governance.
The following are some of the awareness initiatives carried out by RFGI: Partnered with Jaago Re! One Billion Votes to promote voter registration for the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Conducted a six-week project on local governance with Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and Indicorps. Conducting presentations on citizenship and democracy at local schools and colleges in Ahmedabad.
Research activities The research activities at the Foundation include examining and undertaking research on issues concerning politics, law, governance, infrastructure, functioning of public institution, welfare related issues, including those pertaining to elections as part of the function. The Foundation, through its research activities recommends and advocates systems of good governance at different levels of the society. Some of RFGI's publications are the following:
“Acquisition of Land for 'Development' projects in India: The need for serious reconsideration of existing law" – Kelly Dhru, 2008"Acquisition of Land for 'Development' projects in India: The need for serious reconsideration of existing law" – Kelly Dhru, 2008 Land Acquisition Pdf "Whether the graduates of the National Law Schools cater to the need of Bar/Bench?" – Rohit Moonka"Whether the graduates of the National Law Schools cater to the need of Bar/Bench?" – Rohit Moonka National Law School Pdf "Freedom within the Law – The Search for Adivasi Autonomy" – Curtis Riep, 2009"Freedom within the Law – The Search for Adivasi Autonomy" – Curtis Riep, 2009 Freedom within the Law Pdf
RFGI impact As part of the first phase of this project, RFGI had organised a panel discussion on the issue, on 5 July 2009, at GLS Auditorium, Gujarat. The event was graced by the Chief Justice of Gujarat, Justice Radhakrishnan as well as Dr. Madhava Menon, Founder Director, National Law School Bangalore and National Judicial Academy, Bhopal.
The seminar was able to generate debate and discussion on issues pertaining to legal reforms. Two of the recommendations which stemmed from the seminar are already in the stage of implementation:
RFGI has been invited by the Gujarat Bar Association as Advisors on their 'Education & Training' Committee and work has already begun on structuring courses for training of the young lawyers in Gujarat. Shri Veerappa Moily, Union Law Minister, recently announced scholarships for young lawyers.Scholarships for Lawyers
Consultation The Foundation gets directly involved with Government projects and initiatives through its consultancy work. This involves working closely with different Government departments and organisations. One recent consultancy project was that on Library Development in the city of Ahmedabad for the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. RFGI's recommendations are now being implemented by the relevant Government authority.
Notable members and associates Kanan Dhru is the founder of RFGI. She is a practicing lawyer with degrees from the Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar and the London School of Economics, United Kingdom. Prior to coming to India, she had briefly worked with the World Health Organization in Geneva. In India, she has worked with the National Knowledge Commission, a Prime Minister's Advisory Body, New Delhi. She has been an External Consultant with McKinsey & Company, a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University and been associated with the Government of Gujarat on several initiatives.
Kelly Dhru is the director of RFGI. Dhru is a law graduate from the Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar and BCL (Distinction) from the Oxford University, United Kingdom. Dhru has done internships at a variety of legal institutions and courts, including the Legal and Treatise Division of Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and Amarchand Mangaldas. She has researched for various projects of the World Bank and presented papers, including at Harvard University.
The following individuals are associated with RFGI:
Professor (Dr.) Madhava Menon, Founder Director, National Law School and National Judicial Academy Professor Dilip Mavalankar, Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar Dr. Kireet Joshi, Education Advisor to the Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Girish Patel, post graduate from Harvard Law School, Senior Counsel at the High Court of Gujarat and a social activist.
RFGI has collaborated on various projects and activities with the following organisations and institutions: Jaago Re! One Billion Votes OS Open Space Accountability Initiative ADR Association for Democratic Reforms Indicorps The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM) Janaagraha
Media coverage
Indian Express: RFGI & JaaGo Re! One Billion Votes awakens 8,000 voters in Ahmedabad (18 April 2009)Indian Express: RFGI & JaaGo Re! One Billion Votes awakens 8,000 voters in Ahmedabad (18 April 2009) Indian Express: Seminar on youth participation in electoral politics (27 April 2009)Indian Express: Seminar on youth participation in electoral politics (27 April 2009) Ahmedabad Mirror: Amdavadi youth talk on why they shun politics (27 April 2009)Ahmedabad Mirror: Amdavadi youth talk on why they shun politics (27 April 2009) Times of India: Well-known personalities debate youth participation in politics (27 April 2009)Times of India: Well-known personalities debate youth participation in politics (27 April 2009) DNA: Speak Up (28 April 2009)DNA: Speak Up (28 April 2009) Indian Express: Disillusioned voter (3 May 2009)Indian Express: Disillusioned voter (3 May 2009) Hindustan Times: Why I didn't want to Vote (3 May 2009)Hindustan Times: Why I didn't want to Vote (3 May 2009) Indian Express: Most junior lawyers in HC unhappy over working conditions (20 May 2009)Indian Express: Most junior lawyers in HC unhappy over working conditions (20 May 2009) Indian Express: Bar Council to consider junior lawyers' issues (2 June 2009)Indian Express: Bar Council to consider junior lawyers' issues (2 June 2009) Times of India: Some appointments in judiciary political: CJ (8 July 2009)Times of India: Some appointments in judiciary political: CJ (8 July 2009) DNA: Appoint law officers on merit, says chief justice (8 July 2009)DNA: Appoint law officers on merit, says chief justice (8 July 2009) Ahmedabad Mirror: Gujarat needs more law schools (8 July 2009)Ahmedabad Mirror: Gujarat needs more law schools (8 July 2009) Ahmedabad Mirror: Foreigner helps NGO create benchmark for politics (4 August 2009)Ahmedabad Mirror: Foreigner helps NGO create benchmark for politics (4 August 2009) Divyabhaskar: Rajkaran ma ras le yuvano (24 November 2009) Interview with Kanan Dhru of RFGI DNA: 'More youths in politics will ensure better governance' (7 December 2009)DNA: 'More youths in politics will ensure better governance' (7 December 2009) Indian Express: No three-year law college in Ahmedabad has requisite faculty strength: survey (9 December 2009)Indian Express: No three-year law college in Ahmedabad has requisite faculty strength: survey (9 December 2009) Times of India: Experts to discuss Indian legal system (12 December 2009)Times of India: Experts to discuss Indian legal system (12 December 2009) Times of India: 'India’s legal system needs to be updated' (14 December 2009)Times of India: ‘India’s legal system needs to be updated’ (14 December 2009) Ahmedabad Mirror: India’s legal system worst:HC lawyer (15 December 2009)Ahmedabad Mirror: India’s legal system worst:HC lawyer (15 December 2009) Indian Express: Three-year law colleges could be a thing of the past (13 January 2010)Indian Express: Three-year law colleges could be a thing of the past (13 January 2010) Indian Express: People divided over compulsory voting (13 January 2010)Indian Express: People divided over compulsory voting (13 January 2010) DNA: Opinion divided over Compulsory Voting Bill (14 January 2010)DNA: Opinion divided over Compulsory Voting Bill (14 January 2010)
Projects
1) Project on Understanding and Removing Entry Barriers to the Profession of Litigation
Research Foundation for Governance in India aims at motivating youth into the processes of governance. These include the fields of politics, administration, and judiciary. Unfortunately, the common perception of the profession of litigation and of judges is that of an inefficient, corrupt system full of delays and malpractices. For example, the legal system faces an incredible backlog with the UNDP estimating that there are over 20 million cases pending, a problem which could be reduced by increasing the number of litigators and judges so as to make the system more efficient. The Indian legal system also faces vast corruption issues, with over 26.30 billion estimated paid in bribes to the legal system in 2006. (www.undp.org.in) The aim in this study is to ensure that the profession of litigation is welcoming to young law students. According to the Law Commission of India, the country needs 2,724 additional judges so as to resolve the pending cases in the next 5 years. (www.lawcommissionofindia.nic.in) At the same time, it is desirable that the students from five-year as well as three-year colleges are adequately trained to best contribute to the profession and are ultimately working towards an efficient justice-delivery mechanism which will help society.