New Delhi, September 25
The Central Information Commission (CIC) has ruled that the information about ailments of the Prime Minister cannot be given under the Right to Information (RTI) Act as it is personal in nature and disclosure will be an invasion of privacy.
However, it ruled, the expenses incurred on the treatment should be disclosed since these were made from the exchequer.
Hearing an application filed by Chetan Kothari seeking details about ailments of PMs and expenses incurred on their treatment, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah ruled that details about “ailments of an individual is personal information and disclosure would indeed be in violation of sub-section (j) of Section 8 (1) and invasion of privacy”.
“Insofar as expenses are concerned, this is indeed information that can be disclosed since the expenses made from the exchequer are accountable,” he said while passing the verdict.
The Section 8(1) sub-section (j) of the RTI Act exempts information relating to personal matters from disclosure under the Act. The application came up to the CIC as no information on the same was provided by the PMO.
