Now,only five subjects outside RTI purview

The five subjects covered by the new notification,issued on Sunday,include the appointment of the governor,the appointment of the ministers,ministers of state,deputy ministers,the code of conduct for the ministers and the Chief Minister’s instructions to them,the appointment of judges and the Governor’s monthly report that is sent to the President of India.

Addressing a media conference,Cabinet Secretary Shahank Shekhar Singh claimed the government has not made any rule that affects the spirit of the Act.

He did not give an explanation for dropping the nine subjects that were originally listed in the notification of June 2.

These nine subjects include the appointment of the Advocate General,the notifications related to the Uttar Pradesh Rules of Business 1975,the Government of India’s Allocation of Rules of Business,the matters related to the other states’ rules of business,probe against ministers and MPs,all matters related to the Padma awards and “cipher works”.

“The government has no right to go beyond the spirit of the law that has been passed by the Parliament. The government’s fear is that it does not possess strong grounds to justify its June 2 notification in case a PIL is filed in this matter,” said a source,explaining the haste with which the state government swung into action and cancelled its earlier notification.

The state Congress took credit for the government’s climb-down,saying it was their “first victory against the Mayawati government after the Lok Sabha election”. The Congress had threatened to launch an agitation against the government decision to place 14 subjects outside RTI purview,and had taken an appointment with the Governor to raise the issue.