RS to disclose MPs’ assets under RTI

Publication: Times of India Mumbai; Date: Apr 22, 2009; Section: Dance Of Democracy; Page: 15
New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha has agreed to provide asset details of the Union ministers, who are members of the House, to an RTI applicant.

The Rajya Sabha secretariat while replying to an RTI query from Subhash Chandra Agrawal, said details about assets and liabilities of 16 out of 18 ministers belonging to the Rajya Sabha were available with it. Agrawal wanted information on assets, wealth and income of all the ministers in the UPA government and their spouse. But the matter kept scuttling between the PMO and cabinet secretariat.

In December last year, the PMO informed Agrawal that details could not be given as the information was exempted from disclosure.

During the hearing of the plea, the CIC referred the matter to the speakers of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha saying “such information is not disclosable except with the permission of the speaker.’’

After the decision, Agrawal filed fresh RTI applications to both the Houses in the same matter.