A writ petition has been filed by the CPIO, Directorate of Personal Services, Air Headquarters Indian Air Force against an order dated July 8, 2020, directing the CPIO to provide details of relevant special flights Returns-II to an RTI applicant (Respondent), within 15 days to Commodore Lokesh K. Batra (Retd) in the Delhi High Court against an order of the CIC (Central Information Commission), said to be affecting the sovereignty and integrity of India, under the Right to Information Act, 2005.
The information so sought includes details related to the entire entourage, names of Special Protection Group personnel accompanying the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India on foreign tours for his personal safety, and the same, if disclosed, can potentially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State, the Petitioner submitted.
It is asserted that the information sought by the Respondent is extremely sensitive and is exempted from disclosure under Section 8, 8 & 8 of the RTI Act.
The Central information Commission made grave error in Law as well as on facts as it ignored that the details of the SPG is explicitly exempted from the purview of the Right to Information Act, 2005 by the virtue of section 24 assistance given, in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes, which are exempt from disclosure under Section 8 of the RTI Act, 2005.
CIC ORDER-
The said information shall be provided free of cost the Appellant within 15 days from the date of receipt of this order and a compliance report to this effect be duly sent to the commission by the CPIO.
The petition is filed through Advocate Rahul Sharma.
