Activists hail SC’s order on CJI office

UNDER RTI Ex-info commissioner says unfortunate that it took 10 yrs

NEWDELHI: Transparency activists on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision on bringing the office of the Chief Justice of India under the ambit of the Right to Information Act, saying that the apex court has reiterated the established position in law in the matter.

“I welcome the decision of the constitution bench to reiterate the established position in law that the CJI is a public authority under the RTI Act,” said Venkatesh Nayak, head of access to information programme, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, an NGO.

In a landmark verdict, a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi upheld the 2010 Delhi High Court verdict that the office of the Chief Justice of India comes within the ambit of the RTI law and dismissed the three appeals filed by Secretary General of the Supreme Court and the Central Public Information Officer of the apex court. The top court said that only names of judges recommended by the Collegium for appointment can be disclosed, not the reasons.

Cautioning that RTI cannot be used as a tool of surveillance, it held that judicial independence has to be kept in mind while dealing with transparency.

On court’s remark that RTI cannot be used as a tool of surveillance, Nayak said: “It is extremely unfortunate that an observation has been made that RTI can be a tool for surveillance on the judiciary. Surveillance has unfortunately been equated with transparency that is required under a law duly passed by Parliament.”

Former information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi also hailed the decision. “It is a very good decision of the SC... It is unfortunate that it has taken 10 years. The CIC has upheld this. Delhi HC had also upheld this. Now, the SC has upheld this. You need to be accountable for your work... ”