Bring Odisha Vigilance Under RTI, Orders Orissa HC

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Monday directed that Odisha Vigilance be brought under the purview of the Right To Information (RTI) Act.

The HC said that the state Vigilance, except in sensitive and confidential activities undertaken by the department, should be brought under the ambit of RTI.

The HC was hearing petitions challenging a 2016 order which kept the state Vigilance out of RTI purview.

“Under RTI, not obligatory for Vigilance to share information which touch upon sensitive and confidential activities. However, government can’t deny information pertaining to the Vigilance Department involving allegations of corruption and human rights violations,” the HC said.

“The General Administration (Vigilance) Department of the Government of Odisha cannot, notwithstanding the impugned notification dated 11th August 2016, refuse to divulge information pertaining to corruption and human rights violations,” it ordered.