JOIN USInformation Commissioner Sushama Singh also told the ministry to disclose the contents of any letter written by the ministry to the government’s top law officer, giving its nod for his appearance for the BCCI, to noted RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal. The government’s law officers cannot represent private parties in the Court without prior permission.
The CIC also asked the ministry to reveal the details on the queries as to how many times government’s law officers including the Solicitor General and the Attorney General were issued notices for appearing for private parties.
Singh directed the ministry to provide the information to Agrawal within four weeks, allowing his appeal against the decision by Chief Public Information Officer.
Interestingly, the Law ministry had disclosed that Vahanvati was given permission to appear for BCCI sometime in the year 2010 (or even earlier) in the Supreme Court.
But it had refused to provide the copy of the letter written by Vahanvati seeking permission and the ministry providing him the permission.
Among the responses provided to Agrawal on a host of queries, it was revealed that Vahanvati had never refused comment or legal opinion sought from him on an issue since June 2009.
It was also disclosed the Additional Solicitor General A S Chandiok had failed to give response to the notice issued against him by Law and Justice Ministry on November1, last year for allegedly appearing for some private parties including for North Delhi Power Ltd. (NDPL) in some cases.
The Law and Justice ministry has informed Agrawal in its reply to the RTI application in December last year that an Additional Solicitor General or the Attorney General shall not defend an accused person in a criminal prosecution, without the permission of the Government of India; or accept appointment to any office in any company or corporation without prior nod.