Public information officers of the income tax department are apparently ignoring the Central Information Commission’s orders regarding providing copies of I-T returns filed by political parties.

While a PIO in the New Delhi I-T office agreed to provide an applicant with copies of I-T returns filed by political parties, a PIO in the Chennai office rejected similar applications seeking returns of the AIADMK and DMDK.

Activist V. Gopalakrishnan had sought copies of I-T returns filed by various political parties including DMK, AIADMK, Congress, DMDK and VCK.

In a letter dated May 6 to the applicant, PIO of circle 31(1), New Delhi had agreed to furnish the returns filed by the Congress from 2002-03 to 2010-11. “The photocopy of the details pertaining to the party is ready for dispatch. Please make the payment within seven days from the date of receipt of this letter, failing which the application shall be rejected,” the letter stated.

On the other hand, E. Jeyaletchumi, PIO of Business Ward VIII (1), Chennai rejected the application seeking copies of AIADMK’s I-T returns stating that it might cause unwarranted invasion into the privacy of the party. “Disclosure of the information has no relationship to public interest or public activity and may cause unwarranted invasion of privacy of the party concerned as the IT returns are confidential in nature,” the PIO noted.

In case of the VCK’s returns, the Central Public Information Officer of Business Ward-II (2), Chennai sent a letter to the party on April 8, calling for its objections, if any, in furnishing the copy of its returns to the applicant. In its response, the VCK objected to any information being provided to the petitioner as it was personal in nature and also consisted of important and sensitive details of the party. Accepting its objection, the PIO rejected the application.

Mr Gopalakrishnan said that the CIC in a similar case had directed to provide copies of political parties to the Association for Democratic Reforms.