New Delhi, Dec. 2: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s drive for transparency in government has come across a hurdle from the armed forces which want to be exempt from public scrutiny under the Right to Information Act.

The armed forces have made a forceful plea to the government to be kept out of the purview of the act that makes it mandatory for state agencies to respond to queries from the public on their functioning.

But the plea from the armed forces ? made through the defence ministry to the department of personnel ? does not curry much favour with the Prime Minister’s Office.

Singh is a votary of greater transparency in government functioning and wants the armed forces to be more answerable.

Highly placed defence ministry sources said today that pending a decision from the department of personnel, the armed forces have been asked to comply with the demands of the law on information.

The ministry has told the department that an exemption rule that is applicable to paramilitary forces and central police organisations like the BSF, CRPF, Assam Rifles and the ITBP should be extended to the armed forces as well.

But the sources said that even pending a decision, the armed forces have been asked not to part with operational information.

Army headquarters had this week issued a circular on army chief General J.J. Singh’s instructions, asking its offices dealing with the public not to be subject to requests under the act. But it was withdrawn yesterday even if the verbal order stands.

The chief of naval staff, also chairman of the chiefs of staff committee, today made common cause with the army. “Armed forces should have also been covered by schedule (8) of the act, as they handle sensitive national security issues,” Admiral Arun Prakash said. “We have put our views to the government on this.”

He said the armed forces should be listed under schedule 8 that exempts the central police organisations from being subject to the act.