CIC Directs Defence Ministry To Revisit Refusal To Disclose ‘Secret’ Agnipath Scheme Records

Recently, the Central Information Commission (CIC) told the Defense Ministry to look into why it wasn’t giving out records about the Agnipath military recruitment plan under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Before, the Ministry said the files were “secret,” using Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act as an excuse.

This is in answer to an RTI request made by activist Vihar Durve, who didn’t agree with the use of the word “secret” and said that the Act didn’t clearly define that category.

According to The Hindu, Durve said that the word “secret” is not used anywhere in the exemption clause that says a candidate can’t get information.

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He said that claiming that some information was secret was not enough to use Section 8(1)(a) of the Act to refuse the information.

After that, Information Commissioner Vinod Kumar Tiwari told the Ministry to look at the application again and either give new information or find a good reason not to follow the RTI Act.

People between the ages of 17.5 and 21 can join the armed forces through the Agnipath plan and serve for four years. The best performers can be chosen for regular cadre positions based on a clear and merit-based evaluation.

After the first period, members get a one-time “Seva Nidhi” package that includes the money they donated plus money the government matched.