Disclose security concerns on residential complex: CIC to Prez

The Central Information Commission has directed the President's Secretariat to disclose the objections raised by it or by security agencies on allowing a residential complex on a 23-acre plot on Sardar Patel Marg in the diplomatic area.
The President's Secretariat had refused to disclose information citing exemptions under Section 24 (1) of the Right to Information Act.
The section allows intelligence and security agencies listed under it to be exempted from the provisions of the RTI Act except when the information sought by an applicant pertains to allegations of corruption or human rights violation.
Activist Subhash Agrawal said since allegations of corruption have been levelled, the information cannot be withheld under Section 24 (1) of the RTI Act.

"The information sought in the point No 4 and 5 is not covered undersection24 (1) oftheRTIAct," Chief Information Commissioner R K Mathur said directing a response to the query.
A single judge bench of the Delhi High Court had in 2010 allowed Edward Keventer (Successors) Private Ltd (EKSPL) use of 9.26-hectare (22.9 acres) dairy farm in the vicinity of Rashtrapati Bhawan for residential purposes after depositing conversion charges of Rs 1,200 crore with the government.

During the hearing, the central government had opposed the conversion citing security concerns and said the area in question comes within the vicinity of President's Estate in Lutyens Bungalow Zone and involves security issues.

The Union government had approached a division bench of the high court on the ground that the security issue should have been weighed by the single judge bench of the court but the same has been totally brushed aside.
The division bench had said the Master Plan permits the use for residential areas and there are many other residential premises in the said area.