Blank postal order – Does an application filed under RTI become invalid?
9 May, 2013
Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) seeking some information. The Public Information Officer (PIO) returned the postal order sent by the appellant with the RTI application stating that the name of the payee had not been mentioned therein.
View of CIC
The Central Information Commission (CIC) observed that the postal order becomes a valid instrument only when it is made payable to a particular payee and that an application for information under the RTI Act becomes valid only when it is accompanied by a valid postal order. The CIC held that as the postal order did not contain the name of the payee hence the RTI Act cannot be said to have come into operation. The CIC rejected the appeal stating that the grievance of the appellant is misconceived.
Comment
Readers may like to refer to another case in which a different view was taken by the Commission.
Citation: Mr. Lalit Kishore Dagar v. IOCL in File No.CIC/LS/A/2013/000300
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2013/CIC/1271
Click here to view original RTI order of Court / Information Commission