New Delhi, Jun 13 (PTI): The details of foreign visits undertaken by National Advisory Council chairperson Sonia Gandhi and expenses incurred on them should be made public, the Central Information Commission has held.

Hissar-based RTI applicant Ramesh Verma had sought to know from the PMO, information on the foreign visits of Sonia Gandhi, the costs incurred on them, benefits and purpose of these visits.

“It seems the parliamentary affairs ministry had informed that the Centre had incurred no expenditure on the foreign visits of Sonia Gandhi during the past 10 years.

“However, the cabinet secretariat has no knowledge if any information has been given to the applicant in respect of her foreign visits as chairperson of the National Advisory Council,” Mishra said directing to provide details.

The application received by the PMO on February 26, last year. It was transferred to external affairs ministry on March 16, last year. The application was further forwarded to parliamentary affairs ministry on March 26, last year.

Pulling up the PMO for “casual handling” of the RTI application in this regard, chief information commissioner Satyananda Mishra directed it to ensure, in future, that information seeking pleas should be sent to concerned ministries only.

“One thing is for sure that, in this case, the RTI request has been handled very casually,” he said.