The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Prime Minister's Office to disclose the names of delegation members who accompany PM Modi on foreign visits, following the latter's refusal to provide public information on the ground of national security. Chief information commissioner R K Mathur has held that "the commission is of the view that the name/list of non-government persons (having no connection with security) who had accompanied the prime minister on his international visits... should be provided to the appellant." Since the order exempts the PMO from disclosing the names of people linked to the PM's security detail, the PMO's stand may look untenable. The CIC direction came following two RTI applicants Neeraj Sharma and Ayub Ali not receiving satisfactory answers to their queries. Sharma had sought the list of CEOs of private business, owners or partners, private business officials etc who accompanied the PM on his international visits. Ali wanted to know the details of monthly expenses of the PM's residence and office; procedure for meeting him; and number of meetings held by the PM with the public at his residence and office, among other details. During the hearing, Sharma told Mathur he was informed that the list of those accompanying the PM on tours could not be disclosed on security grounds as the same was exempted under the RTI Act. "(Sharma) stated that this same information was available on the website during the tenure of former PM Manmohan Singh," Mathur said. However, the names of delegation members could not be disclosed due to security reasons as the threats differed from person to person, the PMO said.