Have files gone missing?
SHILLONG: An RTI applicant seeking a copy of the report of the High Level Scrutiny Committee on education scam has been denied access to it, leading to the allegation that the files related to the report have been hidden.
It is feared that files related to education scam may face the same fate as that of the two missing files of the forest department related to Syndai park scam.
The RTI applicant, who does not wish to be named, in February this year had approached the authorities concerned to provide a copy of the report of the High Level Scrutiny Committee on education scam.
The first reply from the education department was that a “copy of the report is being sought from the Higher Authorities. Therefore furnishing of the same is delayed due to department scrutiny on the matter”.
Later in another reply, the Education Department cited Section 8 (1)(H) of RTI Act for denial of information to the applicant.
However, the section only says that information which would impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders cannot be divulged, but in the present case, the RTI applicant sought the copy of the report of the High Level Scrutiny Committee which has nothing to do with the investigation of the police.
The High Level Scrutiny Committee had submitted the report to the Government last year.
Sources said that the denial of information violates the very spirit of the Act implemented by Congress-led UPA Government at a time when the Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma still bank on the implementation of RTI Act during their election campaigns saying that the Government was committed to ensure transparency and accountability.