CIC takes note of wrong reporting of R S proceedings
New Delhi, Oct 18 (UNI) Wrong reporting of Parliamentary proceeding recently came to the notice of the Central Information Commission(CIC) while it was dealing with an RTI application.
The CIC has suggested that the matter could be taken up with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The application had been filed a few months back by Maj Gen V K Singh of Gurgaon before the CPIO (RTI Cell) Rajya Sabha, seeking information on the report of Group of Ministers on National Security constituted in the year 2000.
However, he was told by Mr Deepak Goyal, Director&CPIO Rajya Sabha Secretariat that as per records available in the Secretariat, no report of Group of Ministers (GOM) on National security has been laid on the Table of Rajya Sabha nor any information about the report available with the House.
Following this reply, the appellant again approached the House authorities furnishing them copy of a news report that indicated that the GOM Report on National Security was tabled in Parliament in May 2001. Another news report dated 25.8.2001 mentioned the Home Minister announcing that the report would be discussed in Parliament the following week.
In response, the Appellate Authority, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat reiterated that the report of Group of Ministers was not presented in Parliament on May, 3 2001 as mentioned in the news report referred to by Maj Gen Singh. The Authority sought to clarify that as per the 22nd Report of the Department related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence (14th Lok Sabha), presented to the Rajya Sabha on 20.7.07, the GoMs report (which stands classified as 'Secret') was submitted only to the Government in February 2001.
While
disposing
of
the
application
of
Maj
Gen
Singh,
the
CIC
last
week
said,
''It
does
raise
the
question
of
irresponsible
reporting
of
parliamentary
proceedings
which
the
Rajya
Sabha
Secretariat
may
wish
to
note
and
pursue
with
the
Ministry
of
Information&Broadcasting.'' UNI
NAZ
AKJ
BD1445