RTI activist files caveat in High Court in Priyanka Vadra land purchase case

SHIMLA: Amid reports that Priyanka Vadra, daughter of AICC president Sonia Gandhi, was contemplating to challenge the order of Himachal Pradedsh State Information Commission directing disclosure of details of her land purchase near Shimla, an RTI activist today filed a caveat in the state High Court.

The Shimla Deputy Commissioner, who is also the First Appellate Authority (FAA), has not so far provided the information to RTI activist Dev Asish Bhattacharya but there are still five days left for him to comply with the order of the Commission.

The Commission had accepted the appeal of Bhattacharya against the order passed by FAA denying information about the land purchased by Priyanka on the grounds that she was a SPG protectee.

It clearly mentioned that such information about the property of any person cannot be withheld and even the Prime Minister and other VVIPs declare details of their immovable properties while filing the nominations.

Further, any information, which cannot be denied to Parliament of the state assembly, cannot be refused to individuals also and information about the land purchased by non-agriculturists in Himachal Pradesh in relaxation of section 118 of Tenancy and Land Reforms Act had already been given in the state assembly, the Commission had said.

A full bench of the Himachal Pradesh State Information Commission had on Monday directed the Shimla Additional District Magistrate (ADM) to release information relating to the land deal of Priyanka Vadra near Shimla, within 10 days.