The Presidential Secretariat has come under fire for refusing to disclose the names of officials attached to the President’s Media Division (PMD), citing privacy provisions under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

The denial came in response to an RTI appeal filed by law student and activist Anuruddha Bandara, who had initially submitted a request for the names of PMD personnel. Following an initial lack of response, Bandara lodged a formal appeal, prompting a written reply from G.P.H.M. Kumarasinghe, the Senior Assistant Secretary to the President.

In the reply, Kumarasinghe stated that the requested names constituted personal information protected under the RTI Act No. 12 of 2016. The refusal was based on Section 5(1)(a) of the Act, which permits public authorities to withhold personal data if its disclosure is not relevant to a public activity or interest, or if it would result in an unwarranted invasion of privacy—unless outweighed by a greater public interest or consent is provided by the individuals concerned.

This position by the Presidential Secretariat has sparked criticism, especially as it coincides with a leadership vacuum at the Right to Information Commission, which has been without a Chairperson for over three months. The post has remained vacant since the resignation of former Supreme Court Justice Upali Abeyratne on 6 March.