Plea in HC for bringing Attorney General's office under RTI

A petition for bringing the office of the Attorney General under RTI ambit has been filed in the Delhi High Court contending that any attempt to kept it out would defeat the fundamental right of citizens to get information about a public authority.
The petition has assailed the decision of the Central Information Commission (CIC) accepting the pleas of AGs' office and declaring it as not a public authority covered by RTI.
The case had come up for hearing before Justice Rajiv Shakdher who had recused himself though no reason was given for the withdrawal. Now the petition is listed for hearing before another bench on February 26.

The petition filed by RTI activist Subhash Chandra Aggarwal submitted that on the question whether the office of the Attorney General is a 'public authority' under the RTI Act, the law is absolutely crystal clear and does not leave any room for different interpretations.
"The interpretation as given by the CIC would defeat the citizens fundamental right to information to hold the State and all its instrumentalities to account," the petition filed through advocate Prashant Bhushan said.
The activist said even authorities established under any law or under any notification are covered by the definition of public authority.
"As far as law officers of the Government are concerned, their office being established under appropriate notification, are all public authorities under the RTI Act," the petition said.