PMO questions usefulness of information demanded under RTI
3 Apr, 2013An application was filed with the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking to get information concerning the digitization and computerization of records by the PMO as required to be achieved under section 4(1)(a) Every public authority shall maintain all its records duly catalogued and indexed in a manner and the form which facilitates the right to information under this Act and ensure that all records that are appropriate to be computerised are, within a reasonable time and subject to availability of resources, computerised and connected through a network all over the country on different systems so that access to such records is facilitated; Every public authority shall maintain all its records duly catalogued and indexed in a manner and the form which facilitates the right to information under this Act and ensure that all records that are appropriate to be computerised are, within a reasonable time and subject to availability of resources, computerised and connected through a network all over the country on different systems so that access to such records is facilitated; of the RTI Act.
As the Central Public Information Officer (PIO) didn’t provide the information, the applicant filed the first appeal with the first appellate authority. The first appellate authority directed the PIO to furnish the desired information to the appellant. However, ignoring the decision and the order issued by the first appellate authority, the PIO declined to provide the information stating that the application for the information doesn’t show the usefulness and relevance of the sought information.
It is to be mentioned that as per the RTI Act, no reason is required to be disclosed for seeking information. Also under Section 4(1)(a) Every public authority shall maintain all its records duly catalogued and indexed in a manner and the form which facilitates the right to information under this Act and ensure that all records that are appropriate to be computerised are, within a reasonable time and subject to availability of resources, computerised and connected through a network all over the country on different systems so that access to such records is facilitated; Every public authority shall maintain all its records duly catalogued and indexed in a manner and the form which facilitates the right to information under this Act and ensure that all records that are appropriate to be computerised are, within a reasonable time and subject to availability of resources, computerised and connected through a network all over the country on different systems so that access to such records is facilitated; of the RTI Act every public authority must maintain all its records duly catalogued and indexed in a manner which facilitates the right to information. The case has been criticised by the different sections of the media but nobody seems to have noticed that the PIO has merely reproduced from an order of the Central Information Commission (CIC). These wordings of the CIC have been a regular part of some orders of CIC and the media seems to have never noticed them in the past. In many cases some of which are listed below, the CIC has taken the view which has been quoted by the PIO. The CIC has said “This Commission expects all information seeker to seek such information as is useful to them either personally or socially or nationally. Any request for information that does not fulfill the above test, would amount to abuse the misuse of the process of law”.
- Sudhish Aggarwala vs. Petroleum Conservation Research Association in File No. CIC/LS/A/2011/003031
- Ramchandra G. Thorave v. Cantonment Board, Pune; in File No.CIC/LS/A/2011/002348; Date of decision 1.11.2011
- Shri Biswajit Bal v. Shri Mir Nasimuddin in File No.CIC/LS/A/2011/002834; File No. CIC/LS/A/2011/003265; Date of Decision : 16.03.2012
- Shri Naba Kumar Deka v. BSNL, Guwahati; in File No.CIC/LS/A/2011/001146; Date of Decision : 13 .01.2012,
- K. Kumaran v. Structural Engineering Research Centre (SERC), Taramani in File No.CIC/LS/A/2011/003576, CIC/LS/A/2011/003755, CIC/LS/A/2011/003796, CIC/LS/A/2011/003800; Date of decision : 20.3.2012