CIC refuses to disclose details of selection panel meet on Lokpal
New Delhi, Feb. 9: The CIC has refused to allow disclosure of minutes of selection committee meetings to choose the chairperson and members of anti-graft body Lokpal.
Over two years since an application seeking records pertaining to the selection of the country’s Lokpal and other members was filed, the Central Information Commission (CIC) rejected it citing two Supreme Court judgments on contempt petitions over the non-appointment of Lokpal even after the apex court’s directives and transparency in the appointment of information commissioners.
“The commission is of the considered view that in the instant matter, the CPIO upheld the interest of transparency by informing the appellant regarding all the details of the selection committee and its meetings, hence the question of lack of transparency does not hold ground. Moreover, having taken cognizance of the averred dictum of the apex court, the commission does not find it appropriate to intervene in the decision of the CPIO,” Information Commissioner Sarioj Punhani said.
Transparency and anticorruption activist Anjali Bhardwaj had filed the RTI application in November 2018 with the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), demanding records related to the selection process of the chairperson and members of the Lokpal.
The request included information about the number of meetings held, the dates of the meetings, copies of minutes or proceedings of the meetings and details of the attendees. The ministry refused the minutes of the selection committee meetings, saying, “As regards the minutes of the meetings, it is submitted that the authorship of such documents, which include three to five high-level dignitaries, does not vest in the Department of Personnel and Training and the same have been shared as secret documents.
◗ Over two years since an application seeking records pertaining to the selection of the country’s Lokpal and other members was filed, the CIC rejected it citing two SC judgments on contempt petitions