BUCHER FILES

Oct. 17, 2021

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has observed in an order that the disclosure of files provided by India’s second Army chief, General Sir Roy Bucher, to the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library on Jammu and Kashmir is in “national interest”.

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The files are related to the period of 1947-49 and may throw light on the Accession of J&K.
General Sir Francis Robert Roy Butcher served as second chief of the Indian Army between January 1, 1948 to January 15, 1949.
The commission stopped short of ordering the disclosure of the documents, which are withheld under the directions of the External Affairs Ministry.
Information Commissioner Uday Mahurkar has instead asked the NMML’s Central Public Information Officer “to take up the matter with higher officials” and “secure the necessary permission” before sharing the information under Right to Information (RTI)
The highest adjudicating authority on RTI matters, the CIC, did not specify if the information can be disclosed if there is an objection from “higher officials”.

Source : India Today