Times of India: Raipur: Friday, 22 July 2022.
Chhattisgarh government has asked all public information officers that any information about corruption and human rights violations taking place in law enforcement agencies should be provided to the RTI applicants only after the approval of the State Information Commission (SIC).
The order, issued by the state's general administration department to additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, secretaries, divisional commissioners, collectors and head of departments, reads that barring sensitive ones, all other information related to Special Branch of Police Headquarters, Chhattisgarh Armed Forces (CAF), Special Branch dealing with Naxalite activities, Anti-Corruption Bureau, C Branch of Home Department, EOW and CID can be shared with the public under the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005.
Even though the order was issued by the GAD in June this year, complaints against the aforesaid departments not cooperating with the RTI applicants seeking information poured in, making the GAD issue another letter to the public information officers and the first appellate highlighting the dos and don'ts.
It had been observed that all the above-mentioned departments used to refuse to give information directly to the applicant. The SIC said that all the departments of the state come under the purview of RTI.
These departments have been given exemption only in Section 24-4 of the RTI Act, which deals with sensitive and security matters. Information about general information such as establishment, accounting, transfer order and appointment will be given, said Chief Information Officer M K Raut.
When asked about instructions given in the letter regarding corruption and human rights violation cases, Raut said that it is in the Act that the information on corruption and human rights violation cannot be disclosed until the investigation is completed. "We cannot share any information on corruption and human rights violations. It can be disclosed only after the inquiry. Only general information of these departments can be provided under RTI," said Raut.
Questioning the letter of GAD, RTI activist Rakesh Choubey said, "Provisions in the RTI give them the right to seek information on any issue, be it corruption or human rights violation. If there are provisions in the Act on human rights violations and corruption, then why did GAD issue this letter," asked Choubey. This is an attempt to dilute the spirit of RTI, said Choubey.
Chhattisgarh government has asked all public information officers that any information about corruption and human rights violations taking place in law enforcement agencies should be provided to the RTI applicants only after the approval of the State Information Commission (SIC).
The order, issued by the state's general administration department to additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, secretaries, divisional commissioners, collectors and head of departments, reads that barring sensitive ones, all other information related to Special Branch of Police Headquarters, Chhattisgarh Armed Forces (CAF), Special Branch dealing with Naxalite activities, Anti-Corruption Bureau, C Branch of Home Department, EOW and CID can be shared with the public under the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005.
Even though the order was issued by the GAD in June this year, complaints against the aforesaid departments not cooperating with the RTI applicants seeking information poured in, making the GAD issue another letter to the public information officers and the first appellate highlighting the dos and don'ts.
It had been observed that all the above-mentioned departments used to refuse to give information directly to the applicant. The SIC said that all the departments of the state come under the purview of RTI.
These departments have been given exemption only in Section 24-4 of the RTI Act, which deals with sensitive and security matters. Information about general information such as establishment, accounting, transfer order and appointment will be given, said Chief Information Officer M K Raut.
When asked about instructions given in the letter regarding corruption and human rights violation cases, Raut said that it is in the Act that the information on corruption and human rights violation cannot be disclosed until the investigation is completed. "We cannot share any information on corruption and human rights violations. It can be disclosed only after the inquiry. Only general information of these departments can be provided under RTI," said Raut.
Questioning the letter of GAD, RTI activist Rakesh Choubey said, "Provisions in the RTI give them the right to seek information on any issue, be it corruption or human rights violation. If there are provisions in the Act on human rights violations and corruption, then why did GAD issue this letter," asked Choubey. This is an attempt to dilute the spirit of RTI, said Choubey.
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