RTI activist told not to reveal information on Padma awards
By IANSWednesday, April 7, 2010
NEW DELHI - The home ministry has asked a Right to Information (RTI)activist not to share information about the prestigious Padma awards with the media even when there is no such provision in the RTI Act.
Replying to an RTI application filed by Subhash Chandar Agrawal, seeking information about names of persons endorsed by the Awards committee for 2010 Padma awards, the home ministry said: “The above information is for the consumption of the applicant and not (repeat not) for publicity in the press.”
Agrawal said the home ministry reply was shocking and surprising.
“The Central Information Commission (CIC) should confirm if such directions by a public authority are according to law or not. Interestingly, details which are desired not be disclosed to the media by the home ministry are already on the website of a prominent English daily,” he said.
The awards committee selected 130 final recipients from a list of 1,163 names. Several eminent personalities did not make it to the list.
Reacting to the home ministry’s reply, CIC chief Wajahat Habibullah said: “The department can make such request… but there is no such provision under the RTI law. It is not binding.”
Magsaysay award winner RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal told IANS: “It is completely illegal and there is no such provision under the RTI Act. The CIC can issue directions. It should penalise such officer.”
