CIC Directs Central Govt to Respond to Subramanian Swamy's RTI on Chinese Incursions

In November 2022 Subramanian Swamy former Rajya Sabha member Filed a application under Right to Information (RTI) Act for disclosure of information related to any illegal incursions by China since 1996. Regarding this now central Information Commission (CIC) today directed the Central government to respond to former Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy's application.

Not happy with the information given by govt back in 2022, Subramanian Swamy filed another appeal before CIC.  In the decision on Swamy's appeal today, Chief Information Commissioner Heeralal Samariya directed the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to revisit Swamy's RTI application and provide point-wise response to his queries. The CIC further directed the MEA to submit a compliance report before the Commission within one week thereafter.

Swamy had requested information on the following aspects:

1) How much of India's sovereign land has been acquired by China across the 1996 Line of Actual Control? Please provide a map.

2) How much of India's sovereign land has been ceded to China due to the creation of buffer zones or "no man's land" along the 1996 Line of Actual Control? Please provide a map.

3) How much of India's sovereign land has been ceded to China since 2014? Please provide yearly maps.

4) How much of India's sovereign land has been lost due to the creation of buffer zones or "no man's land" since 2014? Please provide a map.

5) Under which agreement did India cede the Aksai Chin region to China? Please provide relevant documentation, including the area ceded.

6) How many times and on what dates have there been illegal Chinese military incursions across the Line of Actual Control since 1996? Please provide details.

7) How many people in India have been displaced due to the creation of buffer zones, no man's land, or ceding of territory since 1996? Please provide details.

As Swamy did not receive a response within the RTI Act's timeline, he appealed to the CIC in March 2023. The MEA informed the CIC in April 2023 that they provided the information from official records. The MEA also shared answers from the Defence Minister to Parliament regarding some questions.

Swamy, citing a delay in his CIC appeal, approached the Delhi High Court last year. On October 9, 2023, the Court issued a notice to the Union government and CIC. The case is pending with the next hearing scheduled for April 4.

Swamy argued before the High Court that the information he seeks is crucial for the nation's sovereignty and integrity.

Advocates Vishesh Kanodia and Vaidushya Parth represented Swamy before the CIC.CIC