Firstpost: Shimla: Tuesday, June 30, 2015.
The Himachal
Pradesh State Information Commission today rejected the contention that
information regarding purchase of land by Priyanka Vadra cannot be given for
security reasons, and directed the concerned authorities to provide all
information in this regard to an RTI activist within ten days.
RTI activist
Debasheesh Bhattacharya had sought information about the land purchased by
Priyanka at Chharabra, 12-Km from here, but the information was refused by
Public Information Office which maintained that it cannot be divulged for
security reasons as she was a SPG protectee.
The Appellate
Authority (the Deputy Commissioner) also rejected the appeal.
The RTI
activist had filed appeal with the State information Commission division bench,
comprising Chief Information Commissioner Bhim Sen and Information Commissioner
K.D. Batish, which directed the Additional District Magistrate, Shimla, to give
the information within ten days.
The
Commission also issued notice to the Deputy Commissioner and the ADM that why
penalty should not be imposed on them for delaying the information and fixed
next hearing on July 23 next.
Priyanka
Vadra is constructing a house near Chharabra and had purchased over 4.25 Bighas
of land between 2007 and 2013 in an alleged relaxation of section 118 of
Tenancy and Land Reforms Act that bars
any non-agriculturist from purchasing land without the permission of the
government.