*“Don't disclose names of those denied Padma Awards” * * Union Home Ministry tells RTI applicant *
NEW DELHI: Information about those denied Padma Awards should not be shared with the media, the Union Home Ministry told a Right to Information (RTI) applicant, though there is no such provision in the transparency law. This year's final 130 recipients were picked from among 1,163 names discussed by the Padma Awards committee in two batches. The Ministry, which was directed to disclose information on the Padma Awards by the Central Information Commission, has provided it with a caveat that this information was only meant for the applicant and not for publicity in the press. The former National Security Adviser, Brajesh Mishra, painter Jatin Das and dancer-scholar Padma Subrahmanyam were among those recommended by the Prime Minister's Office, but did not find a place in the final list. The Ministry's response came on an RTI application by Subhash Chandra Agrawal which listed candidates whose names were considered by the committee. “Information is public” The RTI Act does not have any provision that gives a public authority powers to ask an applicant not to use information provided to him, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah said. “Under the Act, it is not possible that a department can make such a request... Once the information is given under the law, it is public,” Mr. Habibullah told PTI. Eminent Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan also said the reply given by the Ministry did not conform to the provisions of the RTI Act. Public authorities cannot make any such direction that is not in accordance with the transparency law. Mr. Agrawal said the Commissioner should confirm if such directions from a public authority were permissible or not. — PTI Anilkumar BVN
