CIC seeks legal opinion for disclosing info on HR violations

New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) The Central Information
Commission has sought legal advice for disclosing information
on cases related to human rights violations by personnel of
paramilitary forces under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah told
PTI that "number of these (human rights violations) cases
have come to our notice. We are seeking legal advice on the
matter and it will be decided soon by a full bench of the
Commission."
According to the second schedule of the Right to
Information Act Act 2005, intelligence and security agencies
established by the Central Government including the
paramilitary forces have been kept outside its ambit.
However, the information related to the allegations of
corruption and human rights violations can be given. The
disclosure of information about human rights violations is
made after getting nod of the CIC within 45 days.
Section 24 (1) of the Act reads, "... in the case of
information sought for is in respect of allegations of
violation of human rights, the information shall only be
provided after the approval of the Central Information
Commission, and notwithstanding anything contained in Section
seven, such information shall be provided within forty-five
days from the date of the receipt of request." More PTI