Seeking details of MPs charged with rape and murder from the Lok Sabha/ Rajya Sabha secretariat
20 May, 2013Background
The appellant filed two identical applications under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Rajya Sabha Secretariat and the Lok Sabha Secretariat seeking to know the details of the present Members of Parliament (MPs) charged with the offence of rape and murder. The Public Information Officers (PIO) informed that no such information was available with them.
Proceedings
During the hearing before the Central Information Commission (CIC), the respondent submitted that neither the Lok Sabha nor the Rajya Sabha maintained such information about the MPs and also had no knowledge about any other public authority having such information therefore they could not transfer the RTI application elsewhere.
View of CIC
The Commission observed that the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats are not maintaining such details about their MPs. The CIC also stated that at the time of the election, the candidates are required to file affidavits listing the criminal cases registered and pending against them and such affidavits are routinely uploaded on the website of Election Commission of India. The CIC advised the appellant to visit the website and see for herself such details about the MPs of the present Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Citation: Mr. Anshu Kumar v. Rajya Sabha Secretariat in File No. CIC/SM/A/2012/001679 & 1680
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2013/CIC/1289
Click here to view original RTI order of Court / Information Commission