Inquiry report into purchases 'personal information': Bal Bhavan

NEW DELHI: The inquiry report into alleged irregularities in the purchase of 100 air conditioners is "personal information" for National Bal Bhavan, an institution under HRD Ministry, which has refused to disclose it citing there is no larger public interest in it.

The arguments given by Bal Bhavan to withhold information on irregularities have been rejected by the Central Information Commission (CIC) which has issued a show cause notice asking why maximum penalty not be imposed for withholding this information from the applicant.

The case relates to purchase of 100 air conditioners over which Khajan Chand filed an RTI application seeking records related to the purchase and electricity works besides a two-member inquiry committee report which looked into the matter.

Bal Bhavan responded by saying that the information is exempted from disclosure as cited section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act and added it was a personal information and disclosure of it is not in larger public interest.

Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu pointed out that Bal Bhavan officials objected to the disclosure saying that they could not furnish the inquiry report as the same was to be processed under General Financial Rules and also the comments of the Director, Bal Bhavan were to be received.

Rejecting the arguments, Acharyulu said the report should be made public.

The Commission also directed the department to inform it within one month the action taken on the two-member inquiry report into the purchase of the air conditioners and why was there a delay in taking action on it.