Can't deny AI disinvestment info under RTI: CIC

Lucknow, March 29 (IANS) The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Civil Aviation Ministry to provide Lucknow-based activist Nutan Takur information regarding the disinvestment of Air India (AI).The Public Information Officer (PIO) of the Ministry had under Section 8(1)(i) of the RTI Act denied Thakur information related to the records of the deliberations of the Cabinet.According to the PIO, the Cabinet had in principle approved the proposed disinvestment of the national carrier, though the process had not been completed.Information Commissioner Divya Prakash Sinha said that the Ministry had grossly erred in invoking Section 8(1)(i) of the RTI Act to deny information to Thakur, despite the PIO himself admitting to the Cabinet decision in this regard.The Commission directed the PIO to provide Thakur within 15 days the information available with the Ministry and send it a compliance report.
--IANS md/rtp/bg