After Chief Secretary Lila Mani Poudel denied information the freedom1 Forum sought about the report of a judicial commission led by then Supreme Court Justice Bhairav Prasad Lamsal to probe into the properties of senior government officials, the FF appealed in the National Information Commission (NIC) on December 26, 2012 demanding NIC's directive to the OPMCM to give information. The FF moved to the NIC in line with clause 10 (3) of the RTI Act. Also, the FF has sought action on the defendants as per Clause 32 (1, 2, 3 and 5). Chief Secretary Mr Poudel denied information reasoning that giving information about the report would breach right to privacy leading to security threat on life, property and health which the Information Officer at the OPMCM had argued earlier. In the appeal, the FF has argued that Chief Secretary's response has flatly breached citizen's right to information which is guaranteed fully by the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2006 and RTI Act 2007. The reasons Chief Secretary Mr Poudel are invalid, FF concludes.
Freedom Forum is a prominent non-governmental organization in Nepal dedicated to institutionalizing democracy, protecting and promoting human rights, press freedom, freedom of expression, right to information, promoting audit accountability, open and accountable budget, public finance reforms, citizen engagement in public finance management and citizen participation in audit. Established in February 2005, the organization emerged in response to the political turmoil following Former King Gyanendra’s coup dated February 1, 2005, which imposed severe restrictions on media and democratic rights. A group of media professionals, legal experts, and academics founded Freedom Forum to safeguard Nepal’s hard-earned democratic freedoms during this repressive period.
