New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday set aside a Central Information Commission (CIC) order for disclosing the names of institutional donors to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.
Justice Rajiv Shakdher also issued notice to Aseem Takyar, who through a Right to Information query, sought details of the donors and beneficiaries related to the fund between 2009-11.
The court would next hear the case on Dec 10.
Appearing for the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Additional Solicitor General (ASG) AS Chandhiok said that the relief fund did not receive any donation from the government and the details about the donors and recipients had always been maintained as personal and private information and not even disclosed to parliament. The CIC grossly overlooked the fact that the fund was private, composed of voluntary donations and not a business of the government, the ASG said.
“The fund has not been established or constituted by or under the constitution, by any other law made by parliament, by any other law made by state legislature, or through notification or order made by the appropriate government,” the petition filed by the PMO stated. (IANS)
