THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The LDF Government will approach the High Court against the State Information Commission’s (SIC) directive that Cabinet decisions should be released under the Right To Information Act.
According to the state government, Cabinet minutes cannot be released under the RTI and information on Cabinet decisions can be issued only after the respective Government Order(GO) is issued.
Responding to the directive, the Office of the Chief Secretary has intimated the SIC that the information sought cannot be issued and the government is filing an appeal before the High Court. Sources said the government is of the view that Cabinet minutes will not come under the purview of RTI. When the Cabinet takes a decision, that may not be the final decision on the particular issue. Only after the decisions are implemented can they be revealed.
“It’s an issue concerning the definition of Cabinet decisions. When decisions are taken in the Cabinet and later on Cabinet minutes are approved, these are not finalised. The decision is implemented when a GO is issued, normally after 48 hours. During the final few days of the UDF Government, there were instances where the GO was not issued even after months. Once a GO is issued, information can be provided from the department concerned,” said top sources.
They added that the government is approaching the HC in this particular case and it was not a general approach against disclosing Cabinet decisions under RTI.
Considering an appeal from an RTI activist -- who approached the Commission after his request for information on Cabinet decisions taken during the final leg of the UDF Government was turned down -- the SIC had recently directed the government to provide information on decisions taken in the Cabinet under RTI.
Issuing the order, Chief Information Commissioner Vinson M Paul had directed the govt to furnish the information within the stipulated time. It’s against this backdrop that the LDF Government took a stand that information on Cabinet minutes cannot be issued under RTI.