Posts
Former Chief Justice of India (CJI)K.G. Balakrishnan,who had earlier opposed the disclosure of judges' assets, has now asked the income tax (I-T) department not to reveal his I-T returns.
Balakrishnan's latest refusal to the disclosure of I-T returns comes in response to a Right to Information (RTI) Act application, moved by a Kochi-based activist. Consequently, the former CJI asked the department not to reveal his tax returns.
Balakrishnan, who is now the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman, has said disclosing such information amounts to an invasion of privacy. And the I-T department obliged Balakrishnan as the information officer shot down the RTI plea.
Interestingly, the I-T department has been probing Balakrishnan's brother and sons-in-law for amassing wealth disproportionate to their incomes.
But the RTI Association of Kerala has decided not to give up. P.K. Ibrahim, the advocate for the RTI activist, said that he would appeal against the I-T department's decision.
"We are taking up this matter in appeal. The RTI Act itself says that you can go and appeal and we are entitled to get the information because these authorities were appointed as information suppliers," Ibrahim said.
Balakrishnan's move to scuttle the RTI petition has put him under more cloud, especially with corruption charges flying thick and fast against him. He had earlier opposed declaration of assets by judges.
But is the former CJI immune from the RTI scanner? The RTI activist's lawyer says Balakrishnan should come clean.
"The allegation is corruption. Whether his office was used by him and his kin for accumulating wealth, that can be verified only if this info is put in public domain. And for that Balakrishnan should have been the first person, without even asking, to give this info," Ibrahim said.
"The judiciary is now taking up the corruption matter. And what moral right do they have if they themselves are corrupt? We are concerned about that. We want clean institutions. We want the credibility of that institution to be restored," he added.
Balakrishnan's latest refusal to the disclosure of I-T returns comes in response to a Right to Information (RTI) Act application, moved by a Kochi-based activist. Consequently, the former CJI asked the department not to reveal his tax returns.
Balakrishnan, who is now the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman, has said disclosing such information amounts to an invasion of privacy. And the I-T department obliged Balakrishnan as the information officer shot down the RTI plea.
Interestingly, the I-T department has been probing Balakrishnan's brother and sons-in-law for amassing wealth disproportionate to their incomes.
But the RTI Association of Kerala has decided not to give up. P.K. Ibrahim, the advocate for the RTI activist, said that he would appeal against the I-T department's decision.
"We are taking up this matter in appeal. The RTI Act itself says that you can go and appeal and we are entitled to get the information because these authorities were appointed as information suppliers," Ibrahim said.
Balakrishnan's move to scuttle the RTI petition has put him under more cloud, especially with corruption charges flying thick and fast against him. He had earlier opposed declaration of assets by judges.
But is the former CJI immune from the RTI scanner? The RTI activist's lawyer says Balakrishnan should come clean.
"The allegation is corruption. Whether his office was used by him and his kin for accumulating wealth, that can be verified only if this info is put in public domain. And for that Balakrishnan should have been the first person, without even asking, to give this info," Ibrahim said.
"The judiciary is now taking up the corruption matter. And what moral right do they have if they themselves are corrupt? We are concerned about that. We want clean institutions. We want the credibility of that institution to be restored," he added.
No comments:
Post a Comment