Live Law: New Delhi: Monday,
January 16, 2017.
The Central
Information Commission has rejected an RTI plea seeking information on costs in
relation to the Prime Minister’s foreign travel, observing that disclosure of
travel arrangements of the PM, whether foreign or domestic, involve important security
concerns.
The
commission, perusing the files, said the sought information was of a nature
that is exempted under Section 8 (1)(a) of the RTI Act, 2005, and it is also
not considered to be possible that after redacting certain information, the rest
can be made available, as such information is spread all over the file.
“The
information sought by the appellant falls under the category, the disclosure of
which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India and
security interests of the State, and hence attracts the provision of Section
8(1) (a) of the RTI Act, 2005,” said Chief Information Commissioner RK Mathur.
Commodore
Lokesh K Batra had filed the RTI application with PMO seeking the following
information:
•
laid down instructions, process/procedure/steps involved
in Chartering Flights for PM’s foreign visits and later filing ‘Flight Returns’
and raising bills/invoices and clearing bills on completion of the visit;
•
list of file(s)/records with reference number(s) on which
bills for the chartered flights for Hon’ble Prime Ministers are processed since
01.09.2013;
•
certified copies of ‘flight return’, air travel bill(s)
and receipt(s) of an amount of Rs. 2,45,27,465/- paid/cleared in respect of
Hon’ble PM’s visit to Bhutan on 15-16 June, 2014.
•
To inspect all the file/files/records in respect of his
above RTI queries, and at that stage, the appellant will take certified copies
of the documents from files/records The commission, however, directed the PMO
to inform the complainant the date of receipt and sanction of bills of Prime
Minister’s Bhutan visit within 30 days.
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