Opposition walk-out over government’s refusal to release details of Cabinet decisions

Thiruvananthapuram: UDF members protested against the government’s refusal to release information on Cabinet decisions, despite orders from the State Information Commission under the RTI Act, in the Assembly on Tuesday.

Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala led a walk out after Chief Minister Pinarai Vijayan said that there was no need to discuss the matter in the House and Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan refused permission to move an adjournment motion to raise a discussion.

The Chief Minister said that the government had decided to appeal against the State Information Commission’s order to furnish details of Cabinet decisions under the RTI Act before the High Court, as there was lack of clarity as to when a Cabinet decision is “complete or over”. Details of the decisions need be provided after orders are issued by the departments concerned.

Mr. Vijayan said that the government had no intention to weaken the RTI Act. It had directed that orders on Cabinet decisions should be published within 48 hours of the decision on official Websites. The Secretariat manual would be amended for this purpose.

V. D. Satheesan, who had given notice for moving the motion, said that the information ordered to be released by the Commission pertained to the last three months of UDF rule. He asked whether those decisions were not complete. The Chief Minister replied that the decisions were under consideration of a subcommittee of the present Cabinet and hence they were not “complete or over”. The Act only required decisions that were “complete or over” to be released.

He said that Chief Secretary was only temporary custodian of Cabinet files as they would go to the departments concerned for orders. Hence, Chief Secretary’s Office could not provide the information.

The Opposition Leader pointed out that the Chief Secretary was the custodian of minutes of Cabinet meetings.  

He noted that orders of Cabinet decisions such as those terminating the services of non-official members of government corporations and boards had not been published on the Web site. The stand of the government was anti-democratic and aimed at hiding information about functioning of the government.

Mr. Satheesan said that the government was keeping details of Cabinet decisions from the media and people and this was dangerous for democracy. Mr. Vijayan, who had been speaking of transparency before the elections, had now gone back on his stand. He did not want to disclose decisions of his own Cabinet.

Joining the walk-out, T. A. Ahammed Kabeer (Muslim League) said that the stand of the government smacked of “cell rule”.

P. J. Joseph (Kerala Congress-M) said that the Chief Secretary was to provide the information under the Act. Appeal against the Information Commission’s decision was unnecessary.

Anoop Jacob (Kerala Congress-Jacob) said that the government had distanced itself from people within days of its assuming power.

BJP member O. Rajagopal and P. C. George (independent) did not join the walk-out.