Information on Shunglu Committee report cannot be revealed: PMO
4 Dec, 2013
An application was filed with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking to get the information as to whether the government was considering to convert the office of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) into a three-member body as recommended by the Shunglu panel which was formed to look into the irregularities in 2010 Commonwealth Games.
The reply from the PMO says that there is no provision under the RTI Act which mandates information regarding future course of action to be furnished. The reply further states that the suggestions of the Shunglu Committee has been referred to a group of ministers (GoM), headed by the Defence Minister A K Antony, to look into the views expressed on the findings and the recommendations by the concerned ministries or departments. Hence, citing Section 8(1)(i) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen, cabinet papers including records of deliberations of the Council of Ministers, Secretaries and other officers: Provided that the decisions of Council of Ministers, the reasons thereof, and the material on the basis of which the decisions were taken shall be made public after the decision has been taken, and the matter is complete, or over: Provided further that those matters which come under the exemptions specified in this section shall not be disclosed; of the RTI Act which exempts the information linked to decision of council of ministers, the PMO said that it was not in a position to go public in this matter as GoM is merely an extension of Cabinet.