Expenditure incurred in hosting state banquets to all visiting American Presidents

Background

The appellant wanted details of the expenditure incurred in welcoming and hosting state banquets to all visiting American Presidents from the time of President Eisenhower to President Barack Obama. The Public information Officer (PIO) replied that all expenditure on banquets hosted were made from the general budget of the President Secretariat and no separate accounts were maintained for each of such banquets.

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The appellant insisted that the desired information should be provided. The respondent submitted that the accounts were not maintained separately for each banquet hosted by the President Secretariat, and hence the information cannot be provided. The Central Information Commission (CIC) rejected the appeal stating that if the information is not available or even maintained in the form it has been sought, the PIO cannot be compelled to produce the information.

Citation: Shri Girish Prasad Gupta v. President’s Secretariat in File No. CIC/SM/A/2011/000908