Thiruvananthapuram, 23 Oct (H.S): The Keralam government has exempted the T1 and T2 sections of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) from the purview of the Right to Information Act, 2005, citing the highly confidential nature of their work.

The decision, notified through the Kerala Gazette on Thursday, brings the two sections within the list of state intelligence and security organisations granted exemption under an earlier government order.

The government invoked Section 24(4) of the RTI Act to issue the notification. The provision empowers state governments to exempt specified intelligence and security organisations, subject to the conditions prescribed under the law.

The latest notification expands the list established through a government order dated February 7, 2006. Eight organisations had been exempted under that notification. The addition of the two VACB sections extends the exemption to these units within the directorate.

The T1 section handles a range of sensitive personnel records and confidential matters. Its responsibilities include maintaining the annual confidential reports of ministerial, executive and legal staff.

It also holds highly secure personal files and documents classified as top secret. These records form part of the confidential material maintained by the section in the course of its administrative and vigilance functions.

Besides safeguarding personnel records, the T1 section handles confidential verifications and sensitive vigilance investigations at a high level. The nature of these responsibilities has been cited as the basis for bringing the section within the exempted category.

Both T1 and T2 have been described as handling activities of a highly confidential nature. However, the information accompanying the decision details the responsibilities of T1 without providing a corresponding account of the functions performed by T2.

The exemption applies to the two specified sections of the VACB directorate. Its operation remains subject to the conditions laid down in Section 24 of the RTI Act.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman