Bring Vigilance under RTI purview, directs Orissa HC

The Orissa High Court on Monday directed to bring the State Vigilance under the purview of Right To Information (RTI) Act.

State Vigilance except sensitive and confidential activities undertaken by the department should be brought under ambit of RTI, ordered the court while hearing petitions challenging 2016 order which kept Vigilance out of RTI purview. 

The State’s apex court directed the Vigilance department to upload everything except for the sensitive and confidential activities undertaken by the department in its public domain. 

The HC also directed the State government to issue a clarificatory notification in this regard within four weeks.  

Notably, the State government had issued a notification on August 11, 2016, refusing to divulge information pertaining to corruption and human rights violations. Challenging this, three writ petitions were filed by way of Public Interest Litigation (PIL). 

While advocate S P Das appeared for the petitioners, S N Das and Srimanta Das appeared for opposite parties.