Does the CIC have the correct figures of receipt and disposal of cases?
4 Mar, 2013To provide the Lok Sabha with the information as desired by the starred question raised by BJP MPs Virender Kashyap and Virendra Kumar regarding the implementation of Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had obtained the figures from the Central Information Commission (CIC) the same were tabled before the house. As per the receipt and disposal shown on the official website of the CIC as on April 2012, a total number of 28,136 appeals and complaints were pending for disposal. It has been revealed from a file noting that if the appeals and complaints pending with individual registry of all the nine Commissioners and Chief Information Commissioner were summed up the number were 16,319 as on May 31, 2012. The difference in figures has left the officials red-faced and a reason for the same is yet to be found out. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has disputed the figures of receipt of appeals and complaints presented in the Central Information Commission site and has taken up the issue of discrepancy with the Commission.
Readers may recall that as early as 25 Nov. 2011, this site had taken up the issue in the form of the latest bytes titled “Mismatch between the appeal figures” which is reproduced below:-
Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Mr. V Narayanasamy has been widely quoted in the media as saying in a written reply to the Lok Sabha that a total of 17,046 appeals/complaints were pending with the Central Information Commission as on August 1. However, scrutiny of the data available at the official site of the Central Information Commission [cic.gov.in] shows a different figure. As per the figures of the CIC, the opening balance of cases pending as on 1st August 2011 is 19,571. If the reports of the media are taken as authentic, it raises a question - Which figures are true? There appears to be an inadvertent lapse somewhere as 2,525 appeals cannot appear or disappear all of a sudden. Link - http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/latest-bytes/mismatch-between-appeal-figures-584
In the latest byte titled “Is the CIC maintaining its website as per the section 4 of the RTI Act” dated January 30, 2013 it was reported that no report on monthly disposal of cases has been put on the CIC website w.e.f. May, 2012 which is a basic information which ought to have been in place. Link - http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/cic-maintaining-its-website-section-4-rti-act-3143
Even today, the figures of the receipt and disposal of cases have not been updated on the CIC site. Incorrect reporting of data repeatedly to the parliament is a serious breach for which the parliament. Would it take any action? Will it clean up the mess?