Complaints against CBI officers likely to be exempted from RTI

Allegations of corruption and human rights violation are to be disclosed even in the case of organisations exempted from the transparency law like CBI, IB and RAW

Inquiry proceedings against CBI officers would be exempted from the purview of the Right to Information Act if the Government's suggestions on the working of proposed accountability commission materialise, a step which has come under criticism from RTI activists.

According to the Right to Information Act, allegations of corruption and human rights violation are to be disclosed even in the case of organisations exempted from the transparency law like CBI, Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing.

The Centre, which was directed by the Supreme Court to come up with steps to free CBI from external influences, has now proposed an accountability commission among other suggestions to probe complaints against the officials of the agency.

'Notwithstanding anything contained in the Right to Information Act, 2005 or any other law for the time being in force, all papers, documents and records of the proceedings related to a complaint and the inquiry shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed by any person in any proceeding except as directed by the Commission,' the government had said in the affidavit before the Supreme Court.

It has proposed that only the findings and the directions on such complaints can be made public that too after permission from the Commission.

The proposals given by the Centre would be heard by the Supreme Court on July 10.

Explaining the existing provision, Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra in a recent order had said Section 24 of the RTI Act, which exempts security and intelligence organisations from the legislation, allows disclosure of information pertaining to allegations of corruption if they are against employees of the exempted organisations or otherwise.