The High Court on Thursday directed the government to file a counter affidavit with regard to every averment made in the petitions that challenged the publication of G.Os on the website https://apegazette.cgg.gov.in instead of the old one https://goir.ap.gov.in , by October 27, to which date the matter has been posted.
A division Bench consisting of Chief Justice Arup Kumar Goswami and Justice N. Jayasurya issued the interim order upon hearing a petition filed by S.R. Anjaneyulu, an advocate from Chilamathur Mandal in Anantapur district, against the closing down of https://goir.ap.gov.in and selective publication of G.Os on the egazette website in the name of confidentiality.
Representing the State, special government pleader C. Sumon said it was only a change of website and claimed that all G.Os are being uploaded on the e-gazette website. He also told the court that it was only for certain reasons that https://goir.ap.gov.in was considered expedient.
The petitioner’s counsel Y. Balaji sought a direction to the State government to implement Sections 4 and 8 of the Right to Information Act for making all the Departments to set up official websites and upload details of their duties, functions etc.
He also prayed for the declaration of Rule No.156 of AP Secretariat Office Manual, 2005 which provided for restricted uploading of G.Os in the name of secrecy.
Mr. Balaji further said the closure of Goir website on the pretext that the G.Os were not having digital signatures was not tenable under law. The court took a serious view of the matter and ordered that the government should come back with a proper justification of its stand by the above date.
