Order bringing attorney general's office under RTI stayed

 New Delhi, March 25: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed an order of a single judge holding that the office of the Attorney General for India (AGI) is a public authority falling under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S Endlaw granted the stay after Centre approached the court challenging the order. “It requires consideration. The order of single judge is stayed,” the bench said,posting the matter for April 27. The government has challenged the March 10 order of Justice Vibhu Bakhru that would make the office of the top law officer answerable to the public. Justice Bakhru had said that AGI was a constitutiol functiory and its role was not limited to merely acting as a “lawyer for the government of India”. Under the RTI Act, any government office or authority or any organisation substantially funded by government would come under the purview of the transparency law. It had also refused to accept the government’s contention that ture of information or advice rendered by the AGI was “privileged” and not ameble to disclosure under the RTI Act. (IANS)