Speaking on Clause-5 of the Draft Bill (Restrictions on disclosure of Information ), Mrs. Patnaik said,

"Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. Every body should remain aware and informed about the affairs going on in the State and society.

"Just in a family all the members share the information, the citizens of a country should know what is happening in regard to the country. Except matters relating to atomic energy there should not be any secrecy.

"Most of the information, which relate to the day to day affairs of the administration are now not available to the citizen on flimsy grounds. But such kind of information should be available within 24 hours.

"Every office should have an officer to inform the citizens. If he be on leave, some body else should do the job.But no citizen should be denied information on the ground that the concerned officer is absent.

"The Government should make suo moto disclosure of most of its information, so that the citizens need not run to the Govt. offices time and again.

"A new Clause need be added to the Draft Bill to provide for the harassed citizen to be compensated too."