Poll panel turns down plea on CEC asset details

CHENNAI: The Election Commission of India (ECI), which stipulates that all candidates contesting in elections must file their property details with it, has, however, refused to provide information about the assets of chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi, which was sought under the Right to Information Act.
The ECI, in its reply on April 8 to an RTI application filed by this correspondent, refused to furnish details of the CEC’s assets, saying, “They are his personal information.”
The application was filed under the RTI Act, seeking from the ECI details of Quraishi’s assets and liabilities from 2005-06 to 2010-11.It cited Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act while rejecting the request.
As per its provisions, details relating to personal information are exempt from being revealed if the disclosure has no relationship to any public activity or interest, or if it would cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual unless the public authority concerned is satisfied that the larger public interest justifies the disclosure of such information.
“Information regarding movable and immovable property in respect of Dr S Y Quraishi, CEC, is not maintained in the Commission nor there is any provision in the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991, amended in 1993,” the Election Commission said.
Appeal to know assets
The Election Commission of India has refused to provide information about the assets of chief election commissioner SY Quraishi, sought under the RTI act. Under the provisions of the act, this is allowed only if it causes unwarranted invasion of privacy or if the details are of no consequence to public interest.
To a similar application seeking details about the assets of Tamil Nadu chief electoral officer Praveen Kumar from 2005-06 to 2010-11, the state election department said, “The details requested do not relate to this office.” In his reply on April 4, the public information officer said the application had been forwarded to the Public (Special-A) Department in the state secretariat.
Asked for his opinion on the ECI’s denial, former Central Information Commission chief commissioner A N Tiwari said, “The applicant can file an appeal saying that people of this country have the right to know the details of assets of constitutional authorities. He can argue that when judges of the high court and the Supreme Court disclose their assets, why not the ECI too.”