New Delhi: Government has declined to disclose
details of follow-up action on the Shunglu Committee report on
large scale financial and managerial irregularities in
Commonwealth Games related projects.
Replying to an RTI query, the Prime Minister`s Office
cited an exemption clause of the transparency act and denied
details of correspondence with different ministries and
departments on the Shunglu panel reports.
The PMO said that correspondence relating to the matter is
the subject of a Group of Ministers (GoM) which is to look
into issues relating to the reports of the High Level
Committee and consider the views expressed on its findings and
recommendations by the concerned ministries/departments/
governments.
"As such the correspondence constitutes papers for the
Group of Ministers. In terms of rule 6 (4) of the Government
of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, a group of Ministers
is an ad hoc committee of the Cabinet.
"As such, the information sought is exempt from disclosure
in terms of Section 8 (1) (i) of the Right to Information Act,
2005," the PMO said in reply to an RTI query.
It was asked to give details of action being taken on
Shunglu Committee reports and provide copies of all
correspondences from PMO with concerned Ministries and
Departments including their replies.
The Section bars disclosure of "cabinet papers including
records of deliberations of the Council of Ministers,
Secretaries and other officers" provided that the decisions of
Council of Ministers, the reasons thereof, and the material on
the basis of which the decisions were taken shall be made
public after the decision has been taken, and the matter is
complete, or over.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had last year announced a
high level committee under the chairmanship of former
Comptroller and Auditor General V K Shunglu to look into
various lapses in executing projects related to mega sporting
event held here between October 3-14, 2010.
The Committee has submitted six reports - on host
broadcasting, Commonwealth Games Village, city infrastructure,
games venues, Organising Committee and Organisation and
Conduct of Commonwealth Games 2010, to the PMO.
The PMO had then asked the ministries/departments
concerned to give its replies which are now being examined by
a GoM specifically constituted to look into the matter.
The Prime Minister had on August 2 this year constituted a
ministerial panel, headed by Defence Minister A K Antony, to
examine the findings of the Shunglu Committee and submit its
report within three months.
The GoM was asked to recommend the course of action on
each of the recommendations of the committee, which would
include disciplinary, criminal and civil action against
persons/agencies/contractors indicated in the reports.
PTI
