CWG: Govt refuses follow-up information on Shunglu report

Government has declined to disclose details of follow-up action on the Shunglu Committee report on large scale financial and managerial irregularities in Commonwealth Games related projects.

Replying to an RTI query, the Prime Minister's Office cited an exemption clause of the transparency act and denied details of correspondence with different ministries and departments on the Shunglu panel reports.

The Prime Minister's Office said that correspondence relating to the matter is the subject of a Group of Ministers (GoM) which is to look into issues relating to the reports of the High Level Committee and consider the views expressed on its findings and recommendations by the concerned ministries/departments/ governments.

"As such the correspondence constitutes papers for the Group of Ministers. In terms of rule 6 (4) of the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, a group of Ministers is an ad hoc committee of the Cabinet.

"As such, the information sought is exempt from disclosure in terms of Section 8 (1) (i) of the Right to Information Act, 2005," the PMO said in reply to an RTI query filed by  PTI.

It was asked to give details of action being taken on Shunglu Committee reports and provide copies of all correspondences from PMO with concerned Ministries and Departments including their replies.

The Section bars disclosure of "cabinet papers including records of deliberations of the Council of Ministers, Secretaries and other officers" provided that the decisions of Council of Ministers, the reasons thereof, and the material on the basis of which the decisions were taken shall be made public after the decision has been taken, and the  matter is complete, or over.