1 week ago
Election Commission Refuses CEC Gyanesh Kumar Travel Expense Disclosure
Saket Gokhale asked how much public money was spent on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s official trips.
He also asked where Kumar went, when he traveled and why.
The request included travel, hotel, daily allowance and local transport costs.
It also asked which officials traveled with Kumar at government expense.
The Election Commission refused to provide the information.
It said the details were personal information protected by the Right to Information law.
Gokhale disagreed and said spending public money should be transparent.
The Election Commission had not immediately commented on his criticism.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale said the Election Commission refused to disclose details of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s official visits and related public expenditure.
Gokhale filed the RTI application on June 18, seeking information about Kumar’s visits since he became CEC on February 19, 2025.
The request covered domestic and foreign visits, dates, destinations, purposes, travel modes, accompanying officials and expense breakdowns.
In its July 31 reply, the Election Commission cited the personal-information exemption under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, 2005.
Gokhale accused the poll panel of lacking transparency and accountability; no immediate reaction from the Election Commission was available.
- Who
- Former Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale, the Election Commission of India and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- What
- The Election Commission refused an RTI request seeking details of Kumar’s official visits and expenditure funded wholly or partly by public money.
- Where
- The request concerned Kumar’s domestic and foreign official visits; Gokhale shared the reply on X.
- When
- The RTI application was filed on June 18, 2025; Kumar became CEC on February 19, 2025, and the EC response was dated July 31, 2025.
- Why
- The Election Commission cited Section 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, saying the requested information was personal information.
Transparency Argument
Personal-Information Exemption
Disclosure of public spending
Transparency Argument
Saket Gokhale argued that expenditure on official visits paid from public funds should not be treated as personal information and should be disclosed.
Personal-Information Exemption
The Election Commission refused the request, stating that the information related to personal information and was exempt under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, 2005.
Accountability of the poll panel
Transparency Argument
Gokhale alleged that the Election Commission had become less transparent and accountable since Gyanesh Kumar became CEC and demanded answers about the travel spending.
Personal-Information Exemption
The Election Commission did not immediately respond to those allegations, so its position beyond the cited exemption was not available.
Key facts
- RTI applicant
- Saket Gokhale
- Official concerned
- Gyanesh Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner since February 19, 2025
- Application date
- June 18, 2025
- EC response date
- July 31, 2025
- Information requested
- Visit numbers, dates, destinations, purposes, travel modes, accompanying officials and expenses
- Expense categories
- Travel, accommodation, daily allowance, local transport and other expenses
- Legal basis cited
- Section 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information Act, 2005
- EC reaction
- No immediate reaction was available
Quotes
Election Commission
The constitutional body responding to Gokhale’s RTI application
“The information sought under these items relates to personal information and therefore cannot be shared under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, 2005.”
telegraphindia.com
“What sort of public money has been spent on Gyanesh Kumar's visits that ECI is scared to disclose it?”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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