Controversial Cabinet papers: Government ignores order of State Information Commission

By Special Correspondent on Sat, 09/07/2016 - 17:32

Thiruvananthapuram: Officials of the General Administration Department has not complied with the order of the State Information Commission to provide documents relating to Cabinet decisions under the Right to Information Act.

Chief Information Commissioner Vinson M. Paul had ordered the State Public Information Officer of the General Administration (SC) Department on June 15 to furnish the documents to applicant Advocate D. B. Binu, General Secretary of Human Rights Defence Forum within ten days under the Act.

The advocate had sought minutes and agenda of controversial Cabinet decisions taken by the Oommen Chandy government between January 1 and March 12 this year.

The Commission had also directed the Officer and Appellate Authority to consider uploading of Cabinet decisions on government Website.

As the order has not been complied with till now, Mr. Binu is approaching the Commission for action against the officers.

“The respondents have failed to furnish the information required without any reasonable cause hence the denial is malafide. Furthermore the respondents have not taken any steps so far to upload the information on the Government Website thus obstructing the disclosure of information. The act of the respondents has caused damage to the reputation of the Commission and it amounts to contempt against the majesty and authority of the Commission,” he says in his petition.

It may be recalled that the LDF had used the controversial decisions of Chandy government to leverage its campaign for the Assembly elections. However, after coming to power, it was showing reluctance to give full information on Cabinet decisions.