Revealing Lavasa’s dissent note may endanger life: EC

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has turned down a request for public disclosure of the dissent notes of commissioner Ashok Lavasa with regard to his decisions pertaining to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speeches that were alleged to have violated model code of conduct during the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

While rejecting the application of RTI activist Vihar Durve, the ECI said that the disclosure was exempted information which may “endanger the life or physical safety” of an individual.

Mr Durve had under Right to Information (RTI) sought details of Mr Lavasa’s dissent notes related to PM Modi’s speeches in rallies at Wardha on Apri l1, Latur on April 9, Patan and Barmer on April 21 and Varanasi on April 25. Mr Durve had also sought information about the decision given by the ECI with regards to these speeches and the procedure followed while giving decisions on them.

The EC while rejecting information on both these queries cited Section 8(1)(g) of the RTI Act exempting the disclosure of information which would endanger the life or physical safety of any person or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes.

Mr Lavasa had reportedly disagreed with the poll panel’s decision to give clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah of charges of violating the MCC with regard to their statements made in some of the election rallies.

CEC recused himself from all meetings to discuss MCC issues saying that his participation in the deliberations of the Commission were meaningless since his `minority decisions’ went unrecorded.