Can House panel details be disclosed?
by Himanshi Dhawan, Times of India, 1 Jul 2008
NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) will examine whether evidences and proceedings of parliamentary committees and state legislatures can be disclosed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The issue — based on a query by Goa's leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Manohar Parrikar — will be heard by a full CIC Bench.
Lok Sabha secretary general and legal experts on parliamentary privileges have been invited to give written submissions and opinion on the issue that will be heard on August 1. At present, minutes of parliamentary committees and its proceedings are confidential and disclosure can invite contempt of the House.
The CIC has issued a public notice to evaluate the matter. The issue has come up at a time when the commission is engaged in a war of words with the department of personnel and training over disclosure of file notings. Despite CIC orders, file notings are being disclosed under RTI sporadically, if at all.
The CIC will consider if disclosure of information under RTI, which has not been submitted or made public, would be violative of the privilege of Parliament or state legislatures. The information could be in the form of draft report, half margins and draft audit notes.
The commission will also establish whether draft audit reports, audit notes and half margins qualify as "evidence" and if "all" evidence before the committees of Parliament or state legislatures is confidential.
Interpretation of section 8(1) (c) of RTI — that addresses exemption from disclosure — will also be looked at.
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