Bangalore: Efforts should be made to complete procedural formalities in the 2G case "at the earliest" so that full disclosure of information can be made, the
Central Information Commission (CIC) has noted.
Hearing a plea for disclosure of communications between the then finance minister and the Prime Minister on the
2G spectrum scam, Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra agreed that its disclosure would be a breach of parliamentary privileges as the matter is under the consideration of Joint Parliamentary Committee.
However, Mishra noted "in matters such as this which have been agitating the public mind for quite a long time now, all the procedural formalities should be completed at the earliest so that the full disclosure of the relevant information can be made."
The case relates to RTI application filed by activist Subhash Agrawal who sought to know the communications exchanged between the then Finance Minister and the Prime Minister over the 2G spectrum scam.
The information was withheld by the Finance Ministry saying the JPC has barred the disclosure of the communications as the matter was under its consideration.
The ministry said disclosure of such information would be breach of parliamentary privileges which is exempted under the RTI Act. The officials also produced a letter from the JPC secretariat which prohibited disclosure of the information.
Mishra agreed with the view taken by the ministry but added that communications received from JPC, prohibiting disclosure, should be given.
Magazine : 
