Government evasion on Hema Committee Report: A detailed timeline
Thiruvananthapuram: The controversy surrounding the Hema Committee report has intensified, with accusations that the government had been withholding the document despite Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s claims to the contrary. Although CM stated that the report was not being hoarded, the government’s evasion became evident during the Right to Information Commission hearings.The Culture Department refused to hand over the report even though Right to Information Commissioner Dr. A. Abdulhakeem, who reviewed the case, summoned them thrice.
The Commission had to issue an ultimatum to the Culture Secretary after the government backed out, citing various reasons. The government eventually relented when the RTI Act’s provision for arresting non-compliant officials was highlighted.
The government justified withholding the report by citing a letter from Justice Hema requesting confidentiality for individuals mentioned in the report. However, this letter is not part of the report itself. Despite numerous questions in the assembly, the report was not released, with confidentiality as the stated reason.
The Right to Information Commission has faced significant challenges in obtaining the report. Here is a detailed timeline of events:
October 22, 2020: Chief Information Commissioner Wilson M. Paul ruled that the Hema Committee report should not be made public. The decision was based on concerns about individual privacy and the complexity of determining which parts of the report could be disclosed.
February 13, 2024: A journalist submitted an RTI application requesting access to the Hema Committee report.
March 1, 5, and 18, 2024: Additional RTI applications were filed, reiterating the request for the report.
April 18, 2024: The RTI Commission held a hearing and instructed the Culture Department to submit the report in a sealed envelope. The officials stated that they had sought the opinion of the departmental minister.
May 2, 2024: During a second hearing, the government claimed that the release of the report was pending the ministry’s consideration.
May 9, 2024: At the third hearing, the government stated that legal advice was being sought from the Advocate General regarding the report.
May 10, 2024: The commission rejected all three of the government's explanations. Exercising its civil judicial authority, the commission sent a notice to the Culture Department's secretary. The notice stipulated that if the report was not submitted in a sealed envelope within ten days, a warrant or summons would be issued against the Culture Secretary.
On the tenth day, the government handed over the report.
July 5, 2024: Information Commissioner Abdul Hakeem ordered that the report be reviewed to separate and disclose information in accordance with Section 10 of the Right to Information Act, ensuring that sensitive details are handled properly.