(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Citing the RTI Act for denial of information the official said that the disclosure would cause unwanted invasion of privacy of the individual and was not in larger public interest.The Gujarat government has rejected an right to information (RTI) query seeking details of the wealth of the chief minister and the council of ministers saying it is not in the ‘larger public interest’.
In reply to Mumbai-based Anil Galgali’s query the state government’s under secretary (cabinet) and public information officer P V Patel said: “The information sought cannot be furnished since information available to a person in this fiduciary relationship and the information sought is personal information the disclosure of which has no relationship to public authority ...”
Citing the RTI Act for denial of information the official said that the disclosure would cause unwanted invasion of privacy of the individual and was not in larger public interest.
Galgali had filed an RTI query seeking information about the assets and liabilities of the CM and the council of ministers over the past five years. He also wanted to know about action taken by the CM on those who had failed to file their wealth declaration.
Terming the refusal as ‘ridiculous’ Galgali has now filed an appeal with the appellate authority and deputy secretary (cabinet) in the state’s general administration department B J Brahmabhatt.
Ahmedabad-based RTI activist Rajendra Mistry told Khaleej Times that the denial of information was in sharp contrast with that of the federal government which had made facts related to assets and liabilities of its council of ministers public since 2011 and even Supreme Court judges had voluntarily disclosed their wealth. In New Delhi Congress leader Madhusudan Mistry who hails from Gujarat slammed the Gujarat government and said that this meant violation of the RTI Act and showed the real face of the BJP government. For more news from Khaleej Times follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes and on Twitter at khaleejtimes Follow khaleejtimes ->
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