PIL in Delhi HC seeks directions for PM-CARES Fund
June 04, 2020 14:04
A Public Interest Litigation has been moved in the Delhi High court seeking transparency in PM-CARES Fund and a direction to reveal information under the Right Information Act, 2005.
The plea stated PM-CARES is a 'public authority' within the ambit of Section 2(h) of the said that the Act and a direction to the trust to display on its website the details of the money received and for what purposes it has been utilised.
The PIL was filed by SS Hooda through Advocate Aditya Hooda seeking transparency in PM-CARES Fund, and to display details of money received and for which purposes the amount has been used in its website.In the plea, Hooda said that anybody that is "owned", "controlled" or "substantially financed" by the Government qualifies as a public authority under the RTI Act.
He said that the government-controlled as well as substantially financed the PM-CARES Fund.According to the petition, the Prime Minister is the ex-officio chairman of PM-CARES fund while the ministers of Defence, Home Affairs and Finance are its ex-officio trustees. The Chairman and trustees of the fund further have the power to appoint three additional trustees.
The Rules/criteria for spending the funds of the trust shall be formulated by the Prime Minister and the three ministers aforementioned.
"The petitioner COVID-19 victims have a "right to know" about the fund collected and being expended or is planned to be expended."It also said that the victims of COVID-19 who desperately need the money to fight the deadly virus are not in a position to enforce their fundamental right of being treated and financially supported, by the use of funds collected in the PM-CARES fund. The COVID-19 victims are not able to enforce their fundamental right to get medical treatment," he stated. -- PTI
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