Hindustan Times: New Delhi: Thursday,
June 02, 2016.
The Central
Information Commission (CIC) has reserved its order on declaring Aam Admi Party
and its legislative party as a public authority bringing it under the ambit of
the Right to Information Act.
Information
commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu said the order “on question whether Aam Admi
Party and its legislative party is public authority under RTI Act is reserved,
until the three-commissioner bench of CIC decides the issues before it about
political parties and RTI”.
CIC is
hearing a complaint against six political parties for not complying with the
provisions of RTI Act.
During the
hearing related to plea filed by Neeraj Saxena who sought voter card-related
records of Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, Acharyulu sought submissions
from the Delhi chief minister and his party.
In his
submissions, Kejriwal stated he had no objection for disclosure of information
about him as available in public records.
“The
Commission finds that his written submission is silent on following questions,
(a) why not an elected legislator be considered as public authority under RTI
Act, (b) why not the legislator party of AAP be considered as public authority,
(c) why not CIC direct Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, in his capacity as a legislator,
considering him as public authority under RTI to provide information/reply to
the RTI application of the appellant, who is alleging that he claimed to
register his vote in Delhi, without being resident of Delhi,” Acharyulu noted.
He gave one
more opportunity to him to present his views.
“The counsel
for Arvind Kejrival has represented that they have nothing specific to say
anything on that point and would welcome whatever decision the Commission would
possibly arrive at according to law,” he said.
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