Publish all information about Walmart, orders Central Information Commission

It also directed to provide complete information with related documents on the setting up of the Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee to probe lobbying in India by foreign companies, mentioning terms of the committee and time by which the report was to be submitted.

RTI Activist Subhash Aggarwal sought information regarding documents on the meetings of PMO with Walmart lobbyists, file notings on setting up of the Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee to probe lobbying by MNCs mentioning terms of reference, action taken and steps taken to prevent lobbying.

“In my RTI petition dated October 22, 2013 addressed to the Prime Minister’s Office there were six points. The PIO of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in his reply informed that points 4, 5 and 6 which were about setting up of the Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee to probe lobbying in India by foreign companies, action taken by the government on the findings of the report and steps taken to prevent lobbying in India with government-functionaries by foreign companies. They wrote back to me saying that the Justice Mukul Committee has submitted its report and that subsequent follow-up action is in progress and the report will be made available once it is presented in Parliament,” said Subhash Aggarwal.

The FAA in his order upheld the PIO's reply, since the report has now been presented in parliament. But action taken on lobbying can be provided only by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). The appellant urged that there is public interest involved and that such information should be available in the public domain. After hearing both parties, the commission directed the respondent to provide information on Points 4 and 5 to the appellant within two weeks of receipt of the order.