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Kerala’s Left govt. not to disclose cabinet decisions under RTI

cabinet decisions RTI Kerala Left govt.

After cancelling the customary press briefing after routine cabinet meetings, the Left government in Kerala is now going to approach the High Court to bypass an order by the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) to reveal the cabinet decisions under Right to Information Act.
 

Also read: Kerala CM cancels customary press briefing, says he is no PRO
 

The CIC Vincent M Paul had ordered that the government should provide details of cabinet decisions and suggested the government proactively disclose them by uploading the same on the official website. The commissioner was responding to an application filed by Right to Information (RTI) activists who demanded the details of the cabinet decisions of the previous UDF government in Kerala. The activists had requested for the details following a series of controversies surrounding the decisions taken by the UDF government during last three months of its rule.  
 

Also read: Kerala cabinet decisions now under RTI ambit
 

Though the Left front and the present Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had then criticised the UDF for not being transparent enough in its decisions, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) is taking a paradoxical stand after assuming power by challenging the CIC order to disclose cabinet decisions. 

 

Asianet News reports that the state government has decided not to reveal cabinet decisions citing technical reasons and has decided to approach court against the CIC order. The government has also conveyed it to the CIC.  

   The government argues that there is ambiguity regarding the definition of cabinet decisions that come under the purview of RTI Act. Further, a decision taken at the Cabinet meeting cannot be considered as a final as it needs to be vetted by the finance and other concerned departments. Hence, it is not feasible to upload cabinet decisions on the government website soon after the meeting, the government states. 

 

The decision to approach the High Court is likely to open a legal battle between government and the CIC as the latter reiterated that he would stand by his earlier order.  

 

Cabinet decisions are at present not exempted from the purview of RTI Act. It is also notable that even the LDF government is not ready to reveal the controversial decisions taken by the previous administration, fearing that it would set a precedent and boomerang on it. 
 

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