' 1!2$ %,.%&3#!$ $0&.%&3#!$3 SIDISrtVUU@IB!&!!"&#S@B9IV69P99I !%! %! ' $&'( $)*+ (.(/ ()*+,- .()0,1 2 ,!#-& 52 8 4 25 -6 7 2 8 45 /52 // 2 8 8 5 7 85 O 2 > / > "#': $$% ''; < %0 !%,! , -.,-/01+- R Q R 77 of the judgment. Any fur- specific information are simi- ther violation shall be viewed lar to what were held not to be rime Minister Narendra he Supreme Court on seriously by this court,” the exempted by the Supreme PModi on Friday filed his TFriday gave a “last oppor- Bench said. Court,” claimed the plea. nomination papers here for tunity” to the Reserve Bank of In January this year, the top The RBI had refused to dis- the Varanasi Lok Sabha seats in India to withdraw its “non- dis- court had issued contempt close such information on the the presence of key NDA lead- closure” policy and provide notice to the RBI for not dis- grounds of economic interest ers a day after holding massive under the RTI Act information closing annual inspection and holding such information roadshow in the holy city. regarding wilful defaulters and report of banks under RTI. in fiduciary relationship with Mindful of a decline in vote NPA of banks. The RBI had Earlier, the apex court and these individual banks. percentage across the States in contended that disclosure the Central Information “Such reason is in direct the first three phases of the Lok of such information may cre- Commission had held that the contempt with this court’s judg- Sabha polls, the PM asked ate unwarranted panic and RBI cannot deny information ment. The information titles party workers to ensure record lead to public rushing to to an information seeker under which are in contempt belong voting in Varanasi. the banks. the transparency law unless the to Department of Banking Before filing his papers in Asserting that the RBI has material is exempted from dis- Regulation, Banking city Kachhari (collectorate), to disclose contents of its annu- / #%$$###%! %$&$& closure under the law. Supervision, Cooperative Modi addressed booth level al inspection report (AIR) of % $$#$%$#!# ,!% $0,$ The RBI, in its defence, had Banking Regulation/ BJP workers and visited the banks under the RTI Act unless % # / %$$!#$&# !$ said that it cannot disclose Department of Cooperative famous Kal Bhairav temple, tra- they are exempted under law, 0 $#%$0%$&%$% $!! information as the annual Banking Supervision and ditionally known as “Nagar the court said the RBI cannot # %!$$!,$,$ inspection report of the bank Consumer Education and Kotwal”, whose permission is withhold the names of default- /$%"%##$0#%$&%#$0 contained “fiduciary” infor- Protection Department. needed before entering into any ers on the ground of protecting 0$ / "&#%!0$0! $ mation as defined under the “These exempted infor- venture. Modi, who could not the economic interest of the %&!$$$%! transparency law. mation under the policy were visit the temple in 2014, is seen country as well as the fiducia- The Bench was hearing a held to be not exempted by the this time round to be keen to ry relationship of the RBI with $$ "% # #%$&$% / contempt petition filed by RTI Supreme Court. Thus, this observe all local traditions. the banks. $#%!$0$$ !$%$,$ $# activist SC Agrawal against exemption leads to contempt of Four persons — Pt Madan Directing the federal bank the RBI. Agrawal had sought this court’s order,” the plea has Mohan Malviya’s adopted to review its policy to disclose complete information, includ- said. daughter, Annapurna Shukla, information relating to banks ing related documents from the The Supreme Court had in CSIR scientist Ram Shanker under the RTI, a Bench of central bank on imposition of 2015 held that RBI should take Patel, social worker Subhash Justices L Nageswara Rao and fines on some banks for vio- rigid action against those banks Gupta and Dom Raja Jagdish MR Shah said the RBI is duty lating rules. and financial institutions which Choudhury — proposed the bound under the law. The He had also sought the list have been indulging in “dis- nomination of Modi, who is Bench, which did not go ahead of banks and the default for reputable business practices” seeking re-election from the with contempt proceedings which showcause notices were and said it cannot withhold ancient city. Caste equations in against the RBI, made it clear issued to them before the fine information on defaulters and the State were apparently kept that it was giving a last oppor- was imposed. other issues covered under the in view for choosing the pro- tunity to it to comply with pro- Despite the apex court’s RTI Act. posers. visions of the law. judgment for disclosure of such The apex court had further Varanasi is due for election “Though we could have information, the RBI had clarified that the RBI cannot on May 19 and Modi is chal- taken a serious view of the issued a “Disclosure Policy” withhold information under lenged by SP’s Shalini Yadav respondents continuing to vio- under which it has listed cer- the “guise” of confidence or (SP-BSP-RLD alliance candi- late the directions issued by this contains exemptions which are furnish all information relating tain information as being trust with financial institu- date) and Congress’ Ajay Rai. BJP’s trouble-shooter in N-E and address to booth-level court, we give them a last contrary to the directions to inspection reports and other exempted from being disclosed tions and is accountable to pro- NDA leaders made strong Himanta Biswa Sarma too workers. opportunity to withdraw the issued by this court. The material apart from the mate- under the RTI Act. vide information sought by presence here in an attempt to joined the NDA gathering. In his address to BJP’s disclosure policy insofar as it respondents are duty bound to rial that was exempted in para “It is to be noted that these general public. show unity within BJP-led The BJP was represented booth-level workers, Modi alliance vis-a-vis Opposition’s by all top leaders led by party asked them to follow mantra of grand alliance, which has put president Amit Shah, Rajnath “mera booth sabse majboot” up a stiff challenge to the BJP Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma and encourage first-time voters !R " in Uttar Pradesh. Swaraj, JP Nadda, Yogi to exercise their right to vote. Those who showed up at Adityanath, Piyush Goyal, The PM said a pro-incum- Modi’s nomination included Mahendrath Pandey, bency wave is being witnessed !" R Prakash Singh Badal (SAD), Bhupendra Yadav, Manoj for the first time in the coun- #$%$$%$ Nitish Kumar (JD-U), Udhav Tiwari and several State try and noted that the “mood & #"$'()# Thackeray (Shiv Sena), Ram Ministers. is festive” from Kashmir to + #%!% #,!% Vilas Paswan (LJP) Thambhi In away, Modi sought to Kanyakumari, adding he has $-#. sessions court here on 30-year-old Indian Navy Durai (AIADMK) and convert each of his activity in worked honestly for good gov- AFriday convicted Narayan Aofficer died on Friday Annupriya Patel (Apana Dal). the city to mobilise voters and ernance and the people have Sai, son of jailed self-styled while “bravely” fighting a fire Chief Ministers from connect with them in the rest made up their minds that they godman Asaram Bapu, in a onboard aircraft carrier INS North-Eastern States, including of Eastern UP by his roadshows want Modi Sarkar again. rape case filed against him by Vikramaditya when it was a former woman devotee in entering the harbour in Karwar 2013. in Karnataka. The sentence will be pro- The Indian Navy said Lt # Q R nounced on April 30. Cdr DS Chauhan’s “daring Besides Sai (47), who is spiracy). efforts” prevented the fire from lodged at Lajpore Jail here Of the 11 accused, six were causing major damage to the # ## since 2013, the court held four acquitted. combat capability of the 44,500 ! " #$ of his aides, including two Additional Sessions Judge tonne carrier. women, guilty of various P S Gadhvi will pronounce the Chauhan, who hails from “Lt Cdr DS Chauhan " #"# offences. quantum of punishment on Ratlam in Madhya Prtadesh, bravely led the fire fighting $%& Sai was convicted under April 30. got married only last month. efforts in the affected com- IPC sections 376 (rape), 377 The minimum punish- He is survived by his mother partment and while the fire was !! & (unnatural offences), 323 ment for rape is 10 years in jail, and wife. brought under control, the (assault), 506-2 (criminal while the maximum punish- “We salute his courage and officer suffered loss of con- unjabi popstar Daler intimidation) and 120-B (con- ment is life imprisonment. sense of duty and will make sciousness owing to smoke PMehndi joined the every effort to ensure that his and fumes,” the Navy said. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in three-member Supreme Court panel con- supreme sacrifice does not go Lt Cdr Chauhan was the presence of Union Minister Aducted its first in-chamber sitting into alle- in vain. We shall be with his immediately evacuated to a Vijay Goel and his fellow sufi gation of sexual harassment leveled by a former family forever and at all times,” naval hospital at Karwar, but he singer Hans Raj Hans in Delhi apex court employee against Chief Justice of Navy Chief Admiral Sunil could not be revived, it said. on Friday. Navraj Hans, son of India Ranjan Gogoi. Lanba said in his condolence INS Vikramaditya was Hans Raj Hans, too joined the BJP. The woman appeared before the panel message. commissioned into the Indian Union Minister and Chandni Chowk can- headed by Justice SA Bobde. Justices Indu Navy Spokesperson Capt Navy in November 2013 at didate Harsh Vardhan and other party leaders Malhotra and Indira Banerjee are the other two DK Sharma said Chauhan laid Severodvinsk in Russia.