What is the basis for the proposition “anything oral has no meaning in law”?
23 Feb, 2013Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Ministry of Law & Justice seeking to know the thinking of Ministry of Law on the basic proposition in law that “anything oral has no meaning in law”. The Public Information Officer (PIO) informed the appellant that the information sought was in the nature of seeking legal advice and hence, the same was not covered within the ambit of the definition of ‘information’ as given under section 2(f) “information” means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force; “information” means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force; of the RTI Act.
View of CIC
The Commission rejected the appeal observing that that the information sought for by the appellant is in the nature of seeking advice of the respondent, which does not fall within the ambit of ‘information’ as defined under section 2(f) “information” means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force; “information” means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force; of the RTI Act.
Citation: Mr. A.K. Belwal v. Ministry of Law & Justice, Department of Legal Affairs in Case No. CIC/SS/A/2012/002425
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2013/CIC/1073
Click here to view original RTI order of Court / Information Commission