NO PUBLIC INTEREST IN DISCLOSING IDENTITIES OF DONORS & DONEES, SAYS CIC REJECTING RTI APPLICATION

NO PUBLIC INTEREST IN DISCLOSING IDENTITIES OF DONORS & DONEES, SAYS CIC REJECTING RTI APPLICATION

24th DECEMBER

The Central Information Commission said that disclosing the names of political parties to whom contributions are made under the electoral bonds and the donees thereof, is not in the public interest. Information Commissioner Suresh Chandra also said that it requires overruling of the "right to privacy" of donors and donees. 

The remark was made by the CIC while dismissing an appeal filed by an Activist Vihar Durve who tried seeking information from CPIO, SBI, about scheme donors and donees.

In January 2020, the State Bank of India (SBI) had the authority to issue and encash Electoral Bonds during the XIII Phase of the sale. Durve had asked the Bank to reveal the details of Donor and Donee of Electoral Bonds from its books. The CPIO however declined the request, saying that the names of donors are third-party information and relating to their customers were held by the bank in a fiduciary capacity. Therefore, the information was relieved under provisions of section 8 (1) (e) and (j) of the RTI Act.