Opp walkout in Ker assembly over LDF govt stand on RTI Act

Congress-led UDF opposition members today staged a walkout from the Kerala Assembly protesting the LDF government's decision to challenge an order of State Information Commission directing it to furnish details of Cabinet decisions under the RTI Act.
Flaying the decision to challenge the SIC order in the Kerala High Court, the opposition members accused the government of trying to "hide" cabinet decisions.
The opposition protest came even as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asserted that his government had no intention to hide any information or weaken the RTI Act.
He said the government moved the High Court to seek a clarification on the SIC order.

"There are some uncertainties in the order and plan to approach the High Court is to clear that...This government is for transparency and the propaganda that the government is not revealing cabinet decisions has created misunderstanding among a section in the society," he said.
The SIC on June 16 had ordered that all decisions by the state government, once complete, come under the ambit of the RTI Act and the Public Information officer of the Chief Secretary's office should provide the details to the public.

Stating that there was no plan to hide anything, Vijayan said necessary instructions had already been given to make available on the government website orders on cabinet decisions within 48 hours.

"Only when an order is issued, it can be said that a decision taken is over or complete," he pointed out.
On him discontinuing the practise of cabinet briefing by the chief minister, which existed for several years in the state, Vijayan said he had already expressed his views on the matter.
Vijayan had earlier said he was not interested in doing "public relation" act.
Before walkout, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the LDF government was creating a "smokescreen" over the issue and was trying to keep its decisions away from the people.
V D Satheesan (Congress) attacked the government, saying the attempt to keep cabinet decisions under wraps was against democratic principles.