Delhi HC seeks Centre’s response to RTI plea on Chinese incursion

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Centre to respond to a query on China’s incursions into the Indian Territory.

Former Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy sought the information under the Right to Information Act, Bar and Bench reported.

The single-judge bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad sought response from the ministries of home affairs, defence and external affairs, and the Central Information Commission.

Swamy in his plea to the court gave details about the RTI application he had filed in November, seeking information about the extent of India’s territory lost to China.

Also he asked for details about when and how many times Chinese military made incursion on India’s territory across the Line of Actual Control since 1996, said the plea.

Swamy said he has not received a response even after the expiry of deadline as per the RTI Act as the application was passed between various departments.

After his first appeal filed in January was transferred among departments, Swamy filed the second in March before the Chief Information Commission, but never received a response.

“The petitioner submits that as per law laid down by various high courts, the CIC is under an obligation to dispose of all Second Appeals within a period of 45 days,” his plea reportedly said.

Swamy argued that information he had sought is crucial to India’s sovereignty and integrity, adding that delay in supplying it will defeat its ‘relevance and requirement’.

The matter has been listed for hearing in January 2024.