EC Refuses to Disclose CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Official Travel Expenses: Gokhale

New Delhi: Former Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale on Friday alleged that the Election Commission has refused to disclose details of official visits undertaken by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and expenditure incurred on them from public funds, citing "personal information" under the Right to Information Act.

Gokhale said he had sought the information through an RTI application filed on June 18, asking for details of all official visits undertaken by Kumar since he assumed charge as CEC on February 19, 2025, along with the expenditure incurred from public funds.

No reaction from the Election Commission was immediately available.

The information sought included the total number of domestic and foreign visits, visit-wise dates, destinations, purpose and mode of travel, details of officials accompanying the CEC at government expense and a break-up of expenditure on travel, accommodation, daily allowance, local transport and other expenses.

According to a copy of the RTI reply shared on X by Gokhale, the EC said in its July 31 response that, "The information sought under these items relates to personal information and therefore cannot be shared under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, 2005."

Questioning the decision, Gokhale said, "How can expenditure incurred on official visits from public funds be called 'personal information'?"

"Even the cost of PM's foreign travel has been disclosed in Parliament. So what makes Gyanesh Kumar so special?" he said.

Gokhale also questioned what the poll panel was seeking to conceal by refusing to disclose the expenditure.

"What sort of public money has been spent on Gyanesh Kumar's visits that ECI is scared to disclose it?" he asked.

He alleged that the Election Commission had become "a black hole" since Kumar took charge as CEC and accused the poll panel of lacking accountability and transparency.

"Ever since Modi-Shah appointed Gyanesh Kumar as CEC, the ECI has become a black hole. A constitutional body is being run as a personal fiefdom of Modi-Shah and Gyanesh Kumar," Gokhale alleged.

"Be it SIR or spending of public money -- ECI has ZERO accountability or transparency," he alleged.

Gokhale said the ECI's response raised questions over expenditure incurred on the CEC's official travel.

"What exactly is ECI trying to hide about Gyanesh Kumar's trips? We need answers," he said.

According to the copy of the reply shared by Gokhale, the application had sought information related to completed official visits funded wholly or partly from public funds and did not seek any prospective itinerary, real-time movement details or security, escort or protocol arrangements.