 "Jet Airways")
The Central Information Commission has directed the Home Ministry to disclose security clearance granted to Jet Airways with regards to a Bahrain national employed by them.
Information Commissioner Sudhir Bhargava rejected the arguments of Home Ministry that information is exempted from disclosure under sections 8(1)(g) and Section 24 of the RTI Act which deal with disclosure of information related to personal safety and immunity granted to security agencies.
Bhargava noted that the disclosure of information is in larger public interest making the objections irrelevant.
"...Keeping in view the nature of information sought, the Commission is of the opinion that the exemptions invoked by the respondent would not be applicable to the present case and at best, exemptions available in the present case could be that the information sought relates to a third party. However, no such exemption was claimed by the respondent (MHA)," Bhargava pointed out in the order.
The information sought, if disclosed, would serve larger public interest since it relates to the issue of security clearance of a person who is working as a senior functionary in the aviation sector and not following proper procedures while granting security clearance to such persons could pose a grave threat to the security and safety of the passengers, who travel by air, he opined.
"In view of this, the Commission, directs the respondent to inform the appellant whether any security clearance was given to one Shri Hameed Ali or not, within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this decision," Bhargava said.
