- It has been pledged that the draft Bill on Right to Information will be presented in Parliament under the 100 Days Programme of the Government. Accordingly, the proposal made by the Prime Minister Hon. Ranil Wickremasinghe to present the above Bill in Parliament as an urgent Bill as provided for in the Article 122 of the Constitution, was approved by the Cabinet. The salient features of the above Bill are as follows:

* That the Right to Information is afforded to every citizen of Sri Lanka.

* The right of access to information is the right to obtain such information from the possession, custody or control of a public authority. Nevertheless, the access to information may be refused in the following instances where:

(i) the information relates to personal information, the disclosure of which has no relationship to public activity or interest or which would cause invasion of the privacy of the individual.

(ii) the information, the disclosure of which would seriously affect the defence of the State or its territorial integrity or national security or is likely to be seriously prejudicial to Sri Lanka's international relations or its obligation under the International Law.

(iii) the information, the disclosure of which would cause serious prejudice to the economy of Sri Lanka.

(iv) the information, the disclosure of which would reveal any trade secrets or cause harm to commercial interests of any person.

(v) the information, the disclosure of which would reveal the medical reports relating to any person.

(vi) the information, the disclosure of which is not permitted under Section 126 of the Evidence Ordinance.

(vii) the information, which is required to be treated as confidential due to the existence of a fiduciary relationship.

(viii) the information relates to prevention or detection of any crime or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders or the disclosure of which would cause obstruction to such activities.

(ix) the information, which is held in confidence by the relevant public authority.

(x) the information, the disclosure of which would result in contempt of Court or impinge the privileges of Parliament.

(xi) the information, which relates to an examination conducted by the Department of Examinations or Higher Educational Institution which is required to be kept confidential.

* The Right to Information Commission will be established to facilitate the implementation of the right of access to information. This Commission will intervene to determine the information required to be maintained in confidence.

* The effective implementation of the provisions of this Bill is entrusted with the Minister in-charge of the subject of Public Administration.