Can information on Bababudangiri shrine threaten national security?
26 Mar, 2013An application was filed with the Directorate, Karnataka State Archives under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking copies of old records in the archives about the Bababudangiri shrine in Chikmagalur situated on the hilltop of Bababudan hills. The reply from the directorate was short and quick. The very next day of filing the application, it replied to the applicant in a single sentence that the desired information cannot be provided as it is exempt under Section 8(1)(a) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen, information, disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead to incitement of an offence; Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen, information, disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead to incitement of an offence; of the RTI Act.
It is to be mentioned that Section 8 (1) of the RTI Act exempts any information the disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead to incitement of an offence from mandatory disclosure under the act.
The Director of the Karnataka State Archives denied any particular motive behind the denial information and said that he would inquire about why the PIO had cited 8(1)(a) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen, information, disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead to incitement of an offence; Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen, information, disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead to incitement of an offence; for withholding information.