Seeking names and designations of members of the Selection Committee - SC: names of members of Interview Board are exempt from disclosure u/s 8(1)(g) - response by respondents is misplaced and shows a complete ignorance of the provisions of the RTI Act
29 Sep, 2013ORDER
FACTS
Vide RTI dt 5.12.12, appellant had sought information on 3 points relating to names and designations of members of the Selection Committee, Recruitment Committee and Interview Committee responsible for all appointments made since 2009.
2 PIO vide letter dt 16.1.13, provided a response to query no.1 and in respect of query no.2 and 3, observed that the minutes of the meeting of the Selection Committee are with the Vice Chancellor and hence information cannot be provided. PIO, however, provided a copy of the first statutes of DTU stating composition of various selection committees for appointment in the University.
3. An appeal was filed on 1.2.13.
4. AA vide order dt 11.3.13, upheld the decision of the PIO.
5. Submissions made by the appellant and public authority were heard.
DECISION
6. The Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Bihar Public Service Commission Vs Saiyed Hussain Abbas Rizvi had ordered that names of members of Interview Board are exempted from disclosure under section 8(1)(g) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen, information, the disclosure of which would endanger the life or physical safety of any person or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes; of the RTI Act. In the light of the decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the information sought by the appellant is exempt from disclosure. The Commission would, however, like to observe that the response provided by the PIO and upheld by the FAA is misplaced and shows a complete ignorance of the provisions of the RTI Act. The appeal is disposed of.
(Rajiv Mathur)
Central Information Commissioner
Citation: Shri Phool Singh v. Delhi Technological University in File No. CIC/RM/A/2013/000311