A Right To Information application over a high-profile project has put the UP government and the state chief information commissioner (CIC) on collision course.
What has annoyed the CIC is the denial of information about Chief Minister Mayawati’s pet Ambedkar Smarak project in Lucknow’s Gomti Nagar despite a panel directive.
CIC Justice (retired) M.A. Khan has threatened to hand over the matter to the CBI if the state refused to comply with his order to provide information on the multi-crore project.
He issued a notice to Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh on Thursday to personally appear before the commission on December 12 to explain why information sought by RTI applicant Shailendra Singh was not provided to him.
“LDA’s (Lucknow Development Authority) public information officer says the monument being
built is akin to the Taj Mahal. Would there be two Taj Mahals now? To which one would the tourists go first, the one at Lucknow or the one at Agra,” he asked.
Chief Secretary P.K. Mishra, who was to appear before the commission on Thursday, moved an application seeking exemption from personal appearance. His counsel claimed Mishra had no say in government matters.
The LDA, which is the nodal agency for developing the Ambedkar Smarak project, gave the petitioner a four-page response. But Singh has rubbished it, saying the information was cursory and an attempt to hoodwink the commission.
{{/usCountry}}The LDA, which is the nodal agency for developing the Ambedkar Smarak project, gave the petitioner a four-page response. But Singh has rubbished it, saying the information was cursory and an attempt to hoodwink the commission.
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