Three related pleas before
the Central Information Commission throw up numerous facts on
demonetisation, including how Ambedkar’s photo was proposed to be
printed on new notes.
New Delhi: With the Prime Minister’s
Office (PMO) being reticent about the events around demonetisation that
was announced late on November 8, 2016 and refusing to part with
information about it in response to a query filed under the Right to
Information Act, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has asked it
to explain how disclosure of some information would “prejudicially
affect the economic interests” of the country, as claimed by it.
In
a recent order, chief information commissioner R.K. Mathur said “this
commission is of the opinion that the respondent should elaborate their
reasoning with regard to impact on the economic interest of the country
as claimed by them u/Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act.”
The query
had been filed by R.L. Kain on November 15, 2016 – exactly a week after
demonetisation took place – and he had sought information regarding the
approval granted for recording of the prime minister’s speech which was
telecast by Doordarshan Kendra on November 8, in which he had spoken
about demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. The appellant had
also sought a copy of the recorded (unedited) speech made by the prime
minister.
Not satisfied with the response he got from the central
public information officer (CPIO) on December 21, 2016 and the first
appellate authority, Kain had moved the CIC on April 13 seeking the
information.
In a hearing before the commission, Kain said the
PMO should provide him a certified copy of the approval accorded by the
prime minister on the file relating to demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs
1,000 notes and a copy of the approval granted for revision of the
existing list of the denomination of notes under Section 24 of the
Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 for introduction of the new series of Rs
2,000 notes.
In his petition, he also alleged that these new Rs
2,000 banknotes were flashed by some persons prior to demonetisation
and, therefore, an enquiry should be conducted by the RBI in this
matter.
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