02-02-2009, 07:22 AM
Assets of ministers, kin exempt from RTI: PMO
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->NEW DELHI: At a time when pressure is mounting on the judiciary to disclose its assets, the executive wing of the government has come into the
limelight for its attitude towards transparency.
In a decision that could have a far-reaching impact on administrative accountability, the PMO, widely seen as leading the government towards transparency has decided to withhold information related to assets of ministers and their relatives.
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Significantly, the PMO had initially agreed to part with the information. But in a curious U-turn on December 17, 2008, the PMO held that details sought by the applicant were exempt from disclosure. The `no' was repeated on January 27, 2009, when Agrawal persisted with his effort.
It was last year that Agrawal had filed the RTI application seeking details of assets of Union ministers and their relatives for the last two years from cabinet secretariat. The letter was forwarded to Prime Minister's Office for necessary action.
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<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->NEW DELHI: At a time when pressure is mounting on the judiciary to disclose its assets, the executive wing of the government has come into the
limelight for its attitude towards transparency.
In a decision that could have a far-reaching impact on administrative accountability, the PMO, widely seen as leading the government towards transparency has decided to withhold information related to assets of ministers and their relatives.
--
Significantly, the PMO had initially agreed to part with the information. But in a curious U-turn on December 17, 2008, the PMO held that details sought by the applicant were exempt from disclosure. The `no' was repeated on January 27, 2009, when Agrawal persisted with his effort.
It was last year that Agrawal had filed the RTI application seeking details of assets of Union ministers and their relatives for the last two years from cabinet secretariat. The letter was forwarded to Prime Minister's Office for necessary action.
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