Stakeholders call to scrap classification of information

Kathmandu, Jan 30  : Multiple organizations pitching for the Right to Information movement have demanded immediate scrapping of the classification of information which was recently undertaken in a way to intervene with the letter and spirit of the RTI and the principle of transparency.    

Issuing a press release on Sunday, Freedom Forum – a civil society organization advocating for implementation of the RTI law – expressed its concern over the decision of a government committee for the classification of different 87 policy-level information as 'confidential'.    

"The high-level committees' decision to keep policy-level information secret refutes the constitutionally-guaranteed rights of the citizens, and the rights provided by the RTI Act, 2007", the Forum said.    

The statement noted that the classification was also against the precedents set by the Supreme Court. "Information of public importance has also been classified as confidential which has a direct bearing on the transparency and accountability regime", the statement added.    

Forum's Chief Executive Taranath Dahal said, "The classification of policy information is unconstitutional and undemocratic which is also a serious blow to the RTI movement and open and transparency movements ongoing in the country. The National Information Commission (NIC) should immediately review the decision and cancel the classification to pressure on the government to withdraw the initiative".   

 
Likewise, National Federation of Right to Information also issued a press release on Sunday asked the government to initiate a new process through consultation with concerned stakeholders, including civil society.    

It may be noted that the information classification committee headed by Chief Secretary of the Nepal government on December 27 had decided to keep 87 policy-level information secret. According to the classification decision, information about tax evasion, public procurement, meetings of dignitaries, law-making process and any documents submitted to the Nepal government for decision, among others should be kept secret for 30 years.    

"The classification was straightly against the apex court verdicts, the Constitution and RTI law", stated a release issued by the Federation. The Federation has also called for the government to withdraw the decision on information classification.    

Earlier, the Supreme Court had scrapped the decision taken in regard to information classification when Dr Baburam Bhattarai was the Prime Minister of the country.    

As informed, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' had immediately called a meeting with the stakeholders to discuss on the issue. It has come to the light that the information classification was done without informing the political leadership.  

 
A group of civil society organizations and stakeholders on Sunday had met with the Chief Information Commission and Commissioners of the NIC to discuss the classification. (RSS)