Govt's flip-flop on PK Tripathy Commission report
BHUBANESWAR: Refusing to comply with the Information Commission’s order to furnish a copy of the Justice PK Tripathy Commission report on Sorono police firing of 1999, the state home department had said it was unable to do so since the same had not been placed in the Assembly as yet.
It cannot be made public until and unless it is placed before the Cabinet, along with the ATR, approved and then submitted in the Assembly, was the argument put forth by the home department before the Information Commission. The government went up to the extent of moving the High Court in this connection.
Yet, yesterday, the same government mandarins disclosed that recommendations of Justice PK Tripathy commission had been accepted by the Cabinet and then went on to even refers to some of the recommendations and findings.
The Commission maintained that the firing was justified; a comprehensive legislation was need for the Chilka and rights of fishermen and non-fishermen needed to be protected.
The question that now begs an answer is that whether this does not form part of breach of privilege as was being contended by the government in front of the Information Commission and the High Court. How recommendations were made public when the report and the ATR were still to be placed in the Assembly?
In fact, the Information Commission had earlier overruled the pleas of privilege and related contentions and directed the government to provide a copy to Mr. Biswapriya Kanungo who had sought for it under the
RTI Act. Mr. Kanungo had contended that it could be provided to him and also pointed out that strictly going by the Commission of Inquiry Act and rules, the government ought to have tabled the report within six months of submission by the inquiry commission.
The Information Commission had served several show-cause notices on the officers concerned asking them why they should not be penalized for the delay in giving the report to Mr. Kanungo. It was only after this that the government had moved the High Court. But after yesterday’s disclosure, the inconsistency of the government and that too in a department headed by the CM has raised eyebrows here.
Orissa India (June 03, 2007)