CIC directs the CBI to put the details of PIO/ FAA on its website
7 Nov, 2012Background
The appellant had filed a complaint against the Judges of the Supreme Court of India and the High Court to the President of India and had endorsed a copy to the Director Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Later he filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the CBI seeking to know the action taken on his complaint. The Public Information Officer (PIO) did not respond to the application.
Proceeding
During the hearing before the Central Information Commission (CIC), the respondent submitted that no such RTI application had been received by them. The complainant submitted that he had proof to show that he had sent his RTI application by speed post to the concerned office in the CBI and it was unlikely that they should not have been received it. He also complained that of late, the communications sent to the CBI through speed post were being returned by the postal authorities with the comment that the addressee refused to accept the envelope.
View of CIC
The Commission observed that it is the obligation of the PIO to accept all applications from the citizens filed under section 6 of the RTI Act and the PIO cannot refuse to accept any such application. The CIC directed the CBI to put in place a mechanism so that all such applications addressed to the PIO must be accepted without fail and acted upon as per the provisions of the RTI Act. The Commission noted that there are other information seekers who have also made similar complaints in recent times and directed the CBI to put in its website the correct address of all the PIOs and First Appellate Authorities (FAA) of their headquarters office as well as of all the offices in India. The CIC advised the complainant to make a fresh application holding that the RTI application had not reached the PIO concerned. The Commission also directed the PIO that when he receives the RTI application he will dispose it off strictly in terms of the provisions of the RTI Act.
Citation: Mr. Subhash Chandra Agarwal v. Central Bureau of Investigation in File No. CIC/SM/C/2012/000088
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2012/CIC/786
Click here to view original RTI order of Court / Information Commission