JOIN USThe Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Ministry of External Affairs to make public details of "private visit" undertaken by Foreign Minister S M Krishna to the United Kingdom in June this year.
In his RTI plea, activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal sought details from the External Affairs Ministry on purpose of the trip and file notings made while planning it after media reports claimed that Krishna got his five-day visit in June, 2011 extended to watch a Wimbeldon match.
However, both the queries were denied by the Ministry, which said that disclosure of such information can have an impact on foreign relations.
After going through the file related to the visit of the foreign minister, Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi observed that some file notings specially the pages, where it was mentioned that extended period of visit was private for which the Minister made payments from his pocket, can be disclosed.
Accepting the plea of External Affairs Ministry that the record of discussions of the Foreign Ministers with various people of different countries could not be disclosed, Gandhi, however, directed the Ministry to disclose program schedule made before the visit.