Give on stamp paper you disclosed all info on electoral bonds under RTI: CIC to EC

Election Commission of India

The Central Information Commission has directed the Election Commission to furnish an affidavit, declaring it has provided to an RTI activist all information available with it on electoral bonds and the Amendment to Finance Act.

It should also clarify on a non-judicial stamp paper that it has withheld no further information that can be disclosed under the transparency law, the CIC said.

The case originates from an RTI query filed by activist Commodore Lokesh Batra (Retd) who had sought from the Election Commission the complete records related to the introduction of Electoral Bonds after the 2017 Amendment to Finance Act.

The ECI had provided its response with a detailed note sheet and correspondence held in its record.

During the hearing before the Central Information Commission, the highest adjudicating body under the Right to Information Act, Batra claimed that records furnished by the Election Commission show that there seems to a "link file" to the file provided in response.

The Election Commission denied the contention, saying all available records sought by Batra have already been furnished to him. Chief Information Commissioner YK Sinha directed the Election Commission "to furnish an affidavit on a non-judicial stamp paper deposing clearly that no further information viz. linked file/part file or new file on the related subject exists in official records with them which can be provided under the RTI Act".

"The affidavit should be furnished by the Respondent within three weeks of receipt of this order with a copy marked to the Commission by 15.07.2022. It is made clear that non-compliance of these directions shall attract appropriate action, as per law," the order said.