By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 13, 2016 : In a controversial move, the Odisha government has taken the State Vigilance out of the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act under Sec 24 of the Act.

This step will deprive common people details of the people who get nabbed by the State Vigilance for amassing disproportionate assets or the amounts seized from them during the probe.

RTI activists and civil society members have disapproved of the government’s decision.

However, the state government justified the government’s decision.

Manoranjan Panigrahi, secretary of Information and Public Relations department, said, “Applications are often received through RTI asking for details of people who undergo Vigilance raid or their personal assets. It becomes difficult for us to provide such information as the confidentiality gets lost. Therefore, a proposal was sent to the Chief Minister, who approved the change.”

Pradip Pradhan, an information rights activist indicated to challenge in the Orissa High Court over the government’s decision, , said, “We will first meet the Governor in whose name the order has been passed. Later, we will challenge in the order in the High Court. The move is completely illogical as well as illegal.”

However, Jagadananda, former Information Commissioner, said, “Information which are sensitive cannot be revealed during a probe. There are enough provisions in the existing law not to disclose such information. However, a complete curb on the release of information through RTI will create an unhealthy example. Many things will not come to the fore now.”

Interestingly, the union government of India has kept Home, Defence, Finance Ministry, DRDO and organisations related to defence and intelligence outside the purview of the RTI.

Similarly, the State government has kept five departments – State Special Branch, Intelligence Wing, SOG, Crime Branch and District Intelligence Bureau – out of the purview of the RTI Act.