Information relating to volunteers taken into service Sashastra Seema Bal was sought - Respondent: SSB is exempt from the purview of the RTI Act u/s 24(1) - CIC: Information sought does not pertain to allegations of corruption & human rights violation
15 May, 2016Decision Dated 29.02.2016
ORDER
1. Shri Nathu Ram filed an application dated 02.08.2014 under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) before the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), seeking information on six points relating to volunteers taken into service, including
(i) particulars of the volunteers taken into service from 01.04.1988 onwards,
(ii) how many volunteers have been taken into service after completing their training in 1988 and
(iii) how many volunteers have been taken into service from 1988 onwards.
2. The appellant filed the second appeal dated 18.11.2014 before the Commission on the ground that the CPIO as well as First Appellate Authority (FAA) both denied the information under the provisions of Section 24(1) Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule, being organisations established by the Central Government or any information furnished by such organisations to that Government: Provided that the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations shall not be excluded under this sub-section: Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule, being organisations established by the Central Government or any information furnished by such organisations to that Government: Provided that the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations shall not be excluded under this sub-section: Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule, being organisations established by the Central Government or any information furnished by such organisations to that Government: Provided that the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations shall not be excluded under this sub-section: of the RTI Act.
Hearing:
3. The appellant Shri Nathu Ram attended the hearing through video conferencing. The respondent Shri V. Vikraman, CPIO and Commandant, SSB was present in person.
4. The appellant submitted that no information has been provided to him on the ground that as per Section 24 of the RTI Act, SSB is exempted from the purview of RTI Act.
5. The respondent submitted that as per Section 24(1) Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule, being organisations established by the Central Government or any information furnished by such organisations to that Government: Provided that the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations shall not be excluded under this sub-section: Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule, being organisations established by the Central Government or any information furnished by such organisations to that Government: Provided that the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations shall not be excluded under this sub-section: Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule, being organisations established by the Central Government or any information furnished by such organisations to that Government: Provided that the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations shall not be excluded under this sub-section: of the RTI Act, SSB is exempted from the purview of the RTI Act, except when the information pertains to allegations of corruption and human rights violations. Moreover, the information sought relates to security and integrity of the country.
Decision:
6. The Commission observes that in this case information has been sought from SSB, an organization to which the RTI Act does not apply as per Section 24(1) Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule, being organisations established by the Central Government or any information furnished by such organisations to that Government: Provided that the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations shall not be excluded under this sub-section: Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule, being organisations established by the Central Government or any information furnished by such organisations to that Government: Provided that the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations shall not be excluded under this sub-section: Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule, being organisations established by the Central Government or any information furnished by such organisations to that Government: Provided that the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations shall not be excluded under this sub-section: of the RTI Act. Further, the information sought does not pertain to allegations of corruption and human rights violations. Hence, information cannot be provided to the appellant.
7. With the above observation, the appeal is disposed of.
8. Copy of decision be given free of cost to the parties.
(Sudhir Bhargava)
Information Commissioner
Citation: Shri Nathu Ram, S/o Late Shri Gula Ram v. Directorate General, Sashastra Seema Bal, in Decision No.CIC/VS/A/2014/003648/SB