THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Secretary has issued direction asking all departments to provide cabinet decisions as government order (GO) within 48 hours. The Cabinet decisions, Cabinet notes and connected government orders (GOs) would be posted suo motu by respective departments on their official website within 48 hours.
The departments have been asked to strictly adhere to the stipulated time-frame for making the decisions available on their websites. However, in specific cases where some clearance is required from law or the finance department, there could be a slight delay.
The chief secretary has directed all departments to uphold the spirit of the Right to Information Act in their functioning. The chief secretary's directive comes close on the heels of the controversy over releasing Cabinet decisions under the RTI Act. It may be recalled the State Information Commission had issued a directive that Cabinet decisions should be released under the RTI Act.
The government had taken the stand that Cabinet minutes could not be released under the RTI. Information on Cabinet decisions could be issued only after the respective departments issued government order. Meanwhile, the government would now file the statement of facts, steps taken by it, before the high court and await its direction.
