New Delhi: The Central Information Commission has rejected an RTI appeal seeking information on premature retirement of fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force (IAF). The commission said that such disclosures were "sensitive" and could lead to unforeseen consequences.
"Any hasty disclosure of seemingly innocuous statistical information, as in this case, can lead to consequences which may not be properly foreseen at a given point of time", Information Commissioner A N Tiwari was quoted by PTI.
The CIC dismissed an appeal filed by Wing Commander Alok Joshi in which the detailed records of IAF's fighter pilots who were granted premature retirement from 2004 onwards were asked.
The CIC reasoned that there was need to exercise caution in divulging information on manpower planning in the Armed Forces. "It is better to remind oneself that even superficial and ordinary details hold the potentiality for major revelations about the structure of the Forces, relationship between the men and the Forces' Command, the state of the morale of the personnel, discpline and so on", it observed.
Wing Cdr Joshi, who filed his RTI application with the Air Force Head Quarters in Delhi, contended that information sought by him was related to a large number of IAF personnel released from their service through premature retirement and hence be disclosed.
The Air HQ refused to divulge the information sought stating security concerns, which was allowed by the CIC.
"Statistical data sought on premature retirement of pilots has direct bearing on human resources with the IAF and its operational preparedness parting with such information would prejudicially affect security of the State", senior officers at Air HQ had submitted to the Commission.
With inputs from PTI
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