Padma awards shortlist not covered under RTI

The Central Information Commission has refused to order the disclosure of names and particulars of those considered for the Padma awards. The CIC has observed that such an order will amount to invasion of privacy. Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah placed the right to privacy of the persons shortlisted for the awards on a par with the right to transparency under the RTI Act. The disclosure of the data would amount to an unnecessary social embarrassment and exposure to the persons concerned,he said.

The order came on an appeal filed by Subhash Chandra Agarwal seeking information on the selection process of the awardees. Please specify how it is possible for a selection committee of about 10 members to select about 100 Padma awardees out of a list of more than 1,000 in one or two meetings, Agarwal had asked. He asked if it is true that the selection committee only fulfils the formality of endorsing a pre-approved government list in some hours only to meet guidelines fixed by the apex court?

In reply,Habibullah said,It will definitely not be proper if the personal information concerning certain personalities,who were recommended but not considered for grant of the award for any reason,is disclosed and made public. It will surely be at the least a social embarrassment and may amount to invasion of privacy. The commission is not convinced that details concerning them be made public and become a subject matter of public scrutiny.

Agarwal had demanded details of members of the selection committee,the number of meetings held by it and the approved names rejected by tax and intelligence agencies. In response,the Home Ministry had replied that the selection committee held two meetings and had received names that covered 169 pages.