Business Standard: New Delhi: Monday, April 28, 2014.
The Centre has declined to divulge details of
persons who have applied for the posts of chairperson and members of
anti-corruption body Lokpal, saying these are "personal" in nature
and cannot be disclosed.
Replying to an RTI query, the Department of
Personnel and Training (DoPT) also declined to furnish copies of communication,
sent to and received from individuals, accepting or rejecting the government's
offer to become members of the Lokpal Search Committee, saying the file
"is not readily available".
The DoPT said that the selection process for
appointment of the chairperson and members of the Lokpal is under consideration
of the competent authorities, as per the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act.
"The name of persons, their
references/letters etc. Can't be disclosed as the information sought is
exempted under Section 8(1)(J) of the RTI Act, 2005," it said in reply to
a question asking details about persons who have applied to be chairperson and
members of the Lokpal.
The section exempts publication of information
which relates to personal information and the disclosure of which has no
relationship to any public activity or interest, or which would cause
unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual.
The government, however, gave names of eight
persons chosen for appointment as chairperson or members of the Search
Committee during a meeting held in February 21 this year.
Those selected then included Justice (retd) K T
Thomas (Chairperson) and seven members Kaki Madhava Rao (former IAS
officer), F S Nariman (legal luminary), Prof Meenakshi Gopinath (educationist),
M L Kumawat (former Director General of Border Security Force), H K Dua (senior
journalist and Rajya Sabha member), S Y Quraishi (former Chief Election
Commissioner) and Prof Mrinal Miri (Rajya Sabha member).
In a setback to the UPA government, Thomas and
Nariman subsequently refused to be part of the search panel.
.JPG)
.JPG)
