Drafting of info bill in final stage: Official

The Right to Information Bill, the drafting of which is in final stage, has a provision of penalising those officials who withhold information of public interest, Kashi Raj Dahal, coordinator for the Right to Information Bill Drafting Committee, said on thrusday.

“We are doing our best to draft the bill as per international standards. The bill will not let any official withhold information of public interest,” Dahal said at Martin Chautari .

He said the government will table the bill in the House of Representatives next week. He said the drafting of the bill is in final stages. The committee is consulting with different government officials and other stakeholders about the bill, he said.

“We have proposed the formation of an Information Commission, where people can file complaints if government and other institutions refuse to disseminate information,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Information and Communications Dilendra Prasad Badu met members of the committee and acquired information about the bill.