New Delhi: In response to a query on when Minister Narendra Modi’s promise of Rs 15 lakh will be fulfilled, the PMO dismissing the RTI said: “it is not an information”. PM Modi during his 2014 election campaign, referring to bringing back the black money had said 15 lakh will be transferred to every bank account.
The Central Information Commission has been told that the query does not come under the definition of “information” under the RTI Act and hence cannot be responded to. Around 18 days after the demonetisation, RTI applicant Mohan Kumar Sharma had filed a plea seeking the date of deposit of Rs 15 lakh in everyone’s account among some other queries, reports Deccan Chronicle.
During the hearing, Sharma told Chief Information Commissioner R K Mathur that he was not provided with the complete information by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the RBI.
“The respondent no. 1 (PMO) stated…they have informed the appellant that information sought by him on point nos. 1 and 4 of the RTI application does not fall under the definition of ‘information’ as per Section 2(f) of the RTI Act,” Mathur noted.
The section 2 (f) of the RTI Act, “information” means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advice, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information related to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force.
“The action/steps taken by the respondent nos. 1 (PMO) and 2 (RBI) in dealing with the RTI application are satisfactory,” Mathur noted.