IBNLive:
New Delhi: Wednesday, 03 September 2014.
The Delhi
High Court on Tuesday stayed an order of the Central Information Commission
order asking the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to give various
information about its audit with respect to "Hybrid Satellite Digital
Multimedia Broadcasting Service Agreement" with private firm DEVAS. Devas
Multimedia Pvt Ltd (DEVAS), an Indian firm which works in the field of
satellite communications, had entered into a Hybrid Satellite Digital
Multimedia Broadcasting Service Agreement with a government agency.
The apex
transparency panel, on June 9, this year, ordered that information pertaining
to the audit be provided under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. A bench of
Justice Vibhu Bakhru stayed the CIC's order and issued a notice to
information-seeker Vinod Sunder, a company secretary working with DEVAS, on the
plea of the CAG. The court has sought Sunder's response and posted the matter
for hearing on January 19 next year. "Issue notice. Meanwhile, we stay the
impugned order by CIC till next date of hearing," the court said. The
audit body has said the CIC did not appreciate the fact that disclosure of the
documents sought was exempted under section 8(1)(e) of the RTI Act.
According to
the CAG, Sunder had raised seven queries in relation to the CAG's report with
respect to "Hybrid Satellite Digital Multimedia Broadcasting Service
Agreement" with DEVAS by filing an RTI and sought documents issued by
Department of Space to the CAG. Later, on November 9, 2012, Chief Public
Information Officer of CAG forwarded the RTI Application to the Branch office
of the Principal Director of Audit, Scientific Departments at Department of
Space.
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