The Department of Government Printing has decided to go before the Court of Appeal (CA) against an order issued by the Right to Information (RTI) Commission in relation to an information request regarding payments made to its executive grade officers in addition to the basic salary in the past few years.

Young Journalists’ Association President Tharindu Iranga Jayawardhana had requested month-wise information about the payments made in addition to the basic salary, including overtime and travel and other allowances for all the executive grade officers of the Department in the years 2020, 2021, and 2022, and until 16 April this year.

He had then filed an appeal before the Commission due to the Department's failure to provide related information within the stipulated time. The Commission, following the hearing of the appeal, had ordered the relevant officials including the Information Officer of the Department to provide the relevant information to the applicant.

However, Jayawardhana yesterday (30 November) told The Daily Morning that the Department had informed them in writing that they were not satisfied with the relevant order issued by the Commission, and had therefore decided to go before the CA against it. He said that the Department had also informed that the information could not be given until the related proceedings to be started before the CA are concluded.