Firstpost: New Delhi: Tuesday, September 11,
2018.
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has
declined to share action taken on a letter written by Congress leader Ajay
Singh to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which alleged large-scale corruption
through e-tendering in Madhya Pradesh, citing a provision of the RTI Act that
bars disclosure of "third party" information.
The Leader of Opposition in Madhya
Pradesh had in July written the letter to Modi asking him to conduct an enquiry
into the e-tendering scam of Madhya Pradesh either by the Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI) or under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
Anti-corruption activist Ajay Dubey had
sought details of action taken by the PMO on the Congress party leader's
letter. "It is stated that the information sought by you attracts the
provisions of Section 11 of the RTI Act," it said in reply to the RTI query
filed by the activist.
The PMO said that the response will be
provided after the due process as envisaged in Section 11 of the Act is
completed, it said.
Section 11 mandates that if a Central
Public Information Officer of a department concerned intends to disclose the
information, to invite the third party to make a submission in writing or
orally, regarding whether the information should be disclosed, and such
submission of the third party shall be kept in view while taking a decision
about disclosure of information.
The Congress leader had claimed that
e-tendering scam is bigger than the 'Vyapam', referring to massive
irregularities in state government jobs recruitment and selection in medical
courses done by Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board or 'Vyapam' in
Hindi.
In his letter, the Congress leader has
alleged that the electronic bidding process was manipulated to allow select
firms, contractors or individuals to get the government works several crores in
lieu of "benefits". He claimed that some senior officials of the
state government including those at the level of principal secretary,
secretary, chief engineer and tender opening authority are involved in the
scam. "The e-tendering scam is referred to massive irregularities in grant
of state government procurement and other works through a website developed by
Tata Consultancy Service (TCS) and Antares system. Massive irregularities are
suspected through the internal rigging of confidential data in the scam,"
Dubey said.
He claimed senior state government
officials are allegedly involved in the scam and are covering up.
The scam, came to light in May this year,
after the Madhya Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation, which hosts
the online platform, officials said the BJP-ruled state government had in June
recommended a probe by Economic Offences Wing into the irregularities.