Are RBI officials’ lives under threat since the Central government’s seemingly unilateral decision to impose demonetisation? Seems far fetched? But that’s exactly what official replies by RBI cite as reasons to deny information sought in RTI requests.
News Agency Bloomberg had sought responses from the RBI to 14 questions about demonetisation through RTI applications filed between December 8 and January 2. To a question seeking details on the number of demonetised notes that were in the possession of banks on the evening of November 8 — when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his speech announcing the note ban — the RBI cited a curious exemption in the RTI Act to deny information, saying it would endanger the life or physical safety of anyone who disclosed this information to the public.
The exemption, according to Section 8(1)(g) of the RTI Act, says there shall be no obligation to give any citizen information, the disclosure of which would endanger the life or physical safety of any person or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes.
According to thewire.in, a news portal, RBI had used the same exemption to deny information to another RTI applicant earlier.
On a query by the RTI applicant seeking the minutes of deliberations on demonetisation, the RBI cited Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act to deny information. Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act says there shall be no obligation to give any citizen information, the disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State, relations with foreign State or lead to incitement of an offence.
Information has not only been denied to individual RTI applicants and news organisations, but an attempt by members of a standing committee of Parliament to get it straight from the horse’s mouth — the Prime Minister himself — has been stonewalled by the BJP constituents. Virtually rejecting its Chairman K V Thomas' view, the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on Friday decided that the Prime Minister will not be called before it after BJP members strongly objected to the Congress leader's remarks that he may be asked to appear over the demonetisation issue.
The committee said in a release, "Ministers shall not be called before the Committee either to give evidence or consultation in connection with the examination of estimates of accounts.” However, the committee said, the chairperson could have an “informal interaction with the minister” after the deliberations of the panel are concluded.
Now, all eyes are on RBI Governor Urijit Patel, who has been asked to appear before the PAC on January 20, for clarity on the decision to recall Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes and its impact on the economy.1