CMO delays info on property lists under RTI

BHUBANESWAR: The Right to Information (RTI) Act may have provided a 30-day deadline for supply of information but the Orissa Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) does not quite care. An RTI application seeking details of property list from the Parliamentary Affairs Department has drawn a blank. The reply states that the information will be shared after the Chief Minister’s Office provides the same. Since the CMO is not deemed a public authority, the principal information officer (PIO) of Parliamentary Affairs Department front-ends for the top office. In his application on September 17 RTI activist Biswapriya Kanungo had sought names of the Ministers, including the CM, who have submitted their property list for 2011 . Along with the names, details of their property list and what action has been taken against those who have not submitted the lists too had been sought. However, after the lapse of one month, the PA Department replied that a correspondence has been made with the CMO and when the information is available, it will be shared thereby completely ignoring the RTI norms. As per Code of Conduct issued by Union Home Ministry, the assets and liabilities of minister and their family members are to be disclosed before the Chief Minister. The details should include immovable property and the total approximate value of shares and debentures, cash holdings and jewellery.