Is “Archbishop” covered under the RTI Act?
8 Jan, 2015
In an order, the Chief Information Commissioner of the Goa State Information Commission, Ms Leena Mehendale ruled that the Archbishop, in his capacity as ‘Patriarchal Tribunal’, is a public authority under section 2 (h) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 for annulment of marriages and is answerable to queries limited to the aspects of annulment.
Hearing a complaint filed by Antonio Michael Abel, the SIC gave the verdict. The applicant had sought inspection of register of annulment of marriages and also his authority to act as Archbishop Patriarch Tribunal as obtained from the Pope. Upon the refusal to provide the information, the matter came up before the SIC. The SIC order disposes the preliminary points raised by respondent as to whether Archbishop Patriarchal Tribunal of the East Indies, who is also patriarch of Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, is a public authority. Ms Mehendale ruled that in future, a distinction maybe made between any citizen asking an RTI query and a Christian citizen asking the same. However, as the present applicant was a Christian, such a differentiation was not examined by the bench.
For further hearing of the complaint in respect of other RTI queries, the SIC gave time to the respondent to reply and fixed the next date of hearing for March 17, 2015. For past articles on similar issue, please refer to the list below.
Disclosure of marriage register at Church sought under RTI Read more at: http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/disclosure-marriage-register-church-sought-under-r-2466#.VK4HLdKUclA
Does the Tirumala Tirupati temple fall under the ambit of the RTI Act? Read more at: http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/does-tirumala-tirupati-temple-fall-under-ambit-rti#.VK4HztKUclA
Madras HC -Temples are covered under the RTI Act Read more at: http://www.rtifoundationofindia.com/madras-hc-temples-are-covered-under-rti-act-1842#.VK4IHdKUclA