Hyderbad-based activist says RBI has rejected RTI on demonetisation

Hyderabad: RBI has refused to provide information about demonetisation sought by a city-based person invoking provisions of the Right to Information Act.

Mr Dubbudu Rakesh Reddy, a Hyderabad-based RTI activist and founder of ‘Factly’, accused the Reserve Bank of India of evading his questions on demonetisation.

Mr Reddy sought the details of the indent and supply of legal tenders of Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 from April 2016 to till date. He also sought the information on the indent and printing of new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes from April 2016 and their the supply.

He also sought more information on defects found in the new notes. Though RBI had informed him that the indent and supply of old notes would be available on its website, Mr Reddy could not find any such details. “The RBI denied providing information stating that it was exempted under section 8(1) (a) and 2(f) of the RTI Act,” he said.

Accepting the contention that the nature of information sought was similar, the appellate authority directed the PIO to revisit the exemption. “It directed PIO to verify the records to check if any information is available.”