CIC asks President's office to disclose details on inviting guests for oath ceremony

NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission has directed the President's office to provide details of process followed in inviting guests including their names during the swearing in ceremony of former CIC Vijai Sharma and CVC K V Chowdary in June 2015.

The President's office had refused to disclose the information to activist R K Jain, who had filed an RTI seeking to know the guests invited during the ceremony, communication exchanged, file notings, procedure followed and norms for extending such invitations.

Citing one of the exemption provisions, the Central Public Information Officer had said it will involve sharing of personal information which has no bearing on any larger public interest and cannot be given under the RTI Act.

"The appellant (Jain) referred to his RTI application and stated that the sought for information has not been provided to him by the respondent. The appellant stated that the oath ceremony was an official function and was held with public fund," Chief Information Commissioner R K Mathur noted.

Mathur said the CPIO has given no justification/reasons for applicability of section 8(1)(j) in this case.

"The list of the invitees and the file number and file details in which the invitations for the aforesaid Oath Ceremony has been dealt with can be provided to the appellant," he said.