Tag: CIC

  • Information about casualties of Chinese soldiers cannot be disclosed: CIC

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The casualty figure of the Chinese soldiers in Galwan Valley clash two years back between the Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops and the Indian Army soldier cannot be disclosed, told the Central Information Commission (CIC).

    In its recent order, the CIC declined to allow a plea seeking to know “the casualties to the Chinese forces, if any, by brave soldiers of the country” inflicted during the clashes between two forces on June 15, 2020. The CIC is the highest appellate body under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

    The RTI filed by applicant Akhand had also sought information about the casualty figures suffered by the Indian soldiers in Galwan.

    Galwan is one of the multiple standoff points where the Chinese moved in their forces after a clash between the troops of both sides on May 5, 2020. The area is near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.   

    The applicant had also asked for information on the rehabilitation and ex-gratia paid to the families. In addition, the RTI applicant had sought to know from the army if Indian soldiers are missing in the Galwan river valley after the clash and its plans to rescue them.

    The army refused to disclose the information as it was third-party information and it cannot be shared under Section 8(1) (j) of the Act, which exempts from the disclosure of information which is personal in nature.

    The army also cited Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act which exempts from the disclosure of information which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the state, relation with foreign state or lead to incitement of an offence. The information on it was also denied.

    The applicant Akhand argued before the CIC that the matter involves a larger public interest and that the information should be provided to him.

    Information Commissioner Vanaja N Sarna said, “It is noted that a proper reply was given to the appellant whereby it was rightly stated that since the information is related to third parties, the information cannot be provided under section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act.”

    “It was also stated that the information is sensitive in nature and cannot be provided under section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act. The Commission is unable to find any flaw in the reply, hence, no relief can be given,” she said.

    The Indian Army had lost 20 Indian Army soldiers in the Galwan clash and the Chinese had acknowledged the death of five soldiers during the clash. 

    NEW DELHI: The casualty figure of the Chinese soldiers in Galwan Valley clash two years back between the Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops and the Indian Army soldier cannot be disclosed, told the Central Information Commission (CIC).

    In its recent order, the CIC declined to allow a plea seeking to know “the casualties to the Chinese forces, if any, by brave soldiers of the country” inflicted during the clashes between two forces on June 15, 2020. The CIC is the highest appellate body under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

    The RTI filed by applicant Akhand had also sought information about the casualty figures suffered by the Indian soldiers in Galwan.

    Galwan is one of the multiple standoff points where the Chinese moved in their forces after a clash between the troops of both sides on May 5, 2020. The area is near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.   

    The applicant had also asked for information on the rehabilitation and ex-gratia paid to the families. In addition, the RTI applicant had sought to know from the army if Indian soldiers are missing in the Galwan river valley after the clash and its plans to rescue them.

    The army refused to disclose the information as it was third-party information and it cannot be shared under Section 8(1) (j) of the Act, which exempts from the disclosure of information which is personal in nature.

    The army also cited Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act which exempts from the disclosure of information which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the state, relation with foreign state or lead to incitement of an offence. The information on it was also denied.

    The applicant Akhand argued before the CIC that the matter involves a larger public interest and that the information should be provided to him.

    Information Commissioner Vanaja N Sarna said, “It is noted that a proper reply was given to the appellant whereby it was rightly stated that since the information is related to third parties, the information cannot be provided under section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act.”

    “It was also stated that the information is sensitive in nature and cannot be provided under section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act. The Commission is unable to find any flaw in the reply, hence, no relief can be given,” she said.

    The Indian Army had lost 20 Indian Army soldiers in the Galwan clash and the Chinese had acknowledged the death of five soldiers during the clash. 

  • SC directs Centre, States to file report regarding appointment of Information Commissioners in CIC

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre and State governments to file the latest compliance report within a period of four weeks regarding the timely and transparent appointment of Information Commissioners in the Central Information Commission (CIC) under the Right to Information Act, 2005.

    “The Union of India and all the other state governments are directed to file the latest compliance report within a period of four weeks from today. Petitioner is also permitted to file an additional affidavit,” the Bench stated in its order while posting the matter for hearing after four weeks.

    A bench headed by Justice Abdul Nazeer granted four weeks to the governments on a plea seeking directions to the government authorities for implementing the top court’s directions in the 2019 judgment. The court in the order also directed the governments to file the updated report stating the present status of vacancies.

    By its 2019 order, the apex court had passed a slew of directions to the Central and State governments to fill vacancies across Central and State Information Commissions in a transparent and timely manner. In its order, the court had given three months to the Centre to fill the vacancies that existed in the CIC.

    The top court had also directed the authorities concerned to put on the website the names of members of the search committee, meant for selection and appointment of CIC’s information commissioners (ICs), within two weeks.

    Advocate Prashant Bhushan appearing for the petitioner activist Anjali Bhardwaj submitted that despite repeated directions from the court there are still three vacancies and the government ought to have put a present status on record. Their criteria of selection, etc, nothing has been placed on record, he added.

    Bhushan contended that more than 300 people had applied for the vacancies and they shortlisted seven people but details of others weren’t on record at all. Criteria for selecting people for the search committee should be made public but it was not given to the leader of opposition too, he argued.

    Bhushan further told the Bench that posts are vacant and pendency is going.

    Bhushan claimed, “RTI Act was brought in accordance with several judgements to effectuate Right to Information, but the whole RTI Act is being destroyed. Either the posts are vacant or they fill them up with party supporters who can shield their acts,”

    Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Divan appearing for the Centre submitted that a compliance affidavit was filed in April 2020.

    “Their grievance was that persons had not been appointed. That process was carried and appointments were made in March 2020,” said Divan.

    ASG Divan clarified that there are seven members in CIC now apart from the Chairperson.

    Bhardwaj had filed the application in an already pending PIL on filling up of vacancies in CIC and the State Information Commissions (SICs), in view of the top court’s December 16, 2019 order. 

  • Former India pacer Salil Ankola named Mumbai chief selector

    Twenty-three years after his last association with the game in an official capacity, former India pacer Salil Ankola has been appointed chairman of the senior selection committee by the Mumbai Cricket Association. Former left-arm spinner Sanjay Patil, Ravindra Thaker, Zulfiqar Parkar and Ravi Kulkarni have will be the other selectors.

    Ankola had applied for the role of Mumbai coach, apart from the selectorial job, and the Lalchand Rajput-led Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) felt he will suit the role of selector for now. Ankola played one Test and 20 ODIs in the 1990s before switching to a career in television and films.

    “I had given them (MCA) options. I wanted to be coach or selector. I just wanted to get myself involved. I just wanted to be part of the game and help the boys. I had earned enough money, now it’s about satisfaction of my soul. I have been seeing that our team is not doing well for the last few years and the least I can do is to try and bring Mumbai back to its former glory,” Ankola told The Indian Express.