April,30,2016:

Information sought if name of Mr Narendra Damodar Modi is there in the year 1978 (graduation in DU) and 1983 (post-graduation in GU)

On Friday the Central Information Commission (CIC) has issued directions the Universities of Delhi and Gujarat to give complete information on degrees earned by PM Narendra Modi to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, on his RTI application.

The PMO too has been directed to provide the specific details like roll number and year of grant of the degrees to the universities so that they may be located easily.

When a citizen holding the position of CM wants to know the degree related information of the PM, it will be proper to disclose the same,“ information commissioner M Sridhar Acharyulu stated in the order.

It is interesting to note that the CIC had earlier turned down a similar application on the ground that the information was not relevant to public interest.

The information commissioner order says, “The commission directs the CPIOs of Delhi University and Gujarat University to make the best possible search for the information sought regarding degrees in the name of Mr Narendra Damodar Modi in the year 1978 (graduation in DU) and 1983 (post-graduation in GU) and provide it to the appellant Mr Arvind Kejriwal as soon as possible.“

The foundation of the case lie in two previous CIC orders and a scathing letter from Kejriwal to Acharyulu where he demanded that while he was ready to share information sought by RTI applicants about the CM, the CIC must likewise also order disclosure of educational qualifications of the prime minister.

In a similar case of Hans Raj Jain, who had sought the details of students who passed out in 1978 with names starting from N (Narendra) and M (Modi), Delhi University had claimed that it would not be possible to search through lakhs of external students unless roll number was given.

The case was closed by Information Commissioner as under “complaint proceedings“ of the RTI Act, disclosure of information cannot be ordered by the CIC and a penalty can be levied only if there is apparent malafide on the part of the central public information officer.

In another case related to one such applicant Neeraj Pandey ,  information was sought about electoral photo identity card of the Delhi CM, Acharyulu had asked for explanation from Kejriwal that being  an MLA in Delhi, why he should not be considered a public authority under the RTI Act and his party too brought under the law.

Delhi CM Kejriwal in his response did not object to disclosure of information but raised a demand for information about the PM's educational qualifications referring to the Hans Raj Jain case, Acharyulu noted.

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