CIC: Place the following information on CBFC website - Minutes of Statutory Meeting, details of certified films maintained as per rule 39 of Cinematography (Certification) Rules, Sample format of different certificates issued, Details of banned films etc.

Facts

Both parties are present and are heard through video conference.

The complainant through his complaint submitted that the information important from the public point of view, should be in public domain, is either not made available or not being updated properly by CBFC on their website. He further submits that the:

1. Minutes of the Statutory Meeting of the Board,

2. Annual Statutory Report submitted to the Central Govt., reviewing the work done by the board during the preceding financial year,

3. Statutory register with details of the certified films maintained as per rule 39 of Cinematography (Certification) Rules 1983,

4. Norms & guidelines issued by GoI to CBFC for selecting recommending advisory penal members, 5. Sample format of different certificates being issued by CBFC,

6. Details of banned films, are not published by CBFC on their website and requested to direct the authority to publish the same u/s 4(1)(b) Every public authority shall publish within one hundred and twenty days from the enactment of this Act,- (i) the particulars of its organisation, functions and duties; (ii) the powers and duties of its officers and employees; (iii) the procedure followed in the decision making process, including channels of supervision and accountability; (iv) the norms set by it for the discharge of its functions; (v) the rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under its control or used by its employees for discharging its functions; (vi) a statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its control; (vii) the particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with, or representation by, the members of the public in relation to the formulation of its policy or implementation thereof; (viii) a statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the purpose of its advice, and as to whether meetings of those boards, councils, committees and other bodies are open to the public, or the minutes of such meetings are accessible for public; (ix) a directory of its officers and employees; (x) the monthly remuneration received by each of its officers and employees, including the system of compensation as provided in its regulations; (xi) the budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements made; (xii) the manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the amounts allocated and the details of beneficiaries of such programmes; (xiii) particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorisations granted by it; (xiv) details in respect of the information, available to or held by it, reduced in an electronic form; (xv) the particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining information, including the working hours of a library or reading room, if maintained for public use; (xvi) the names, designations and other particulars of the Public Information Officers; (xvii) such other information as may be prescribed and thereafter update these publications every year; of the RTI Act on their website.

After hearing both parties and on perusal of record, the Commission notes that the demand of the complainant to publish the above mentioned information appears to be a reasonable demand and the Commission under its powers under Section 19(8) (a) (iii) directs the CPIO to ensure that the to ensure that the above mentioned information is placed on the website of the CBFC before 1st June 2015 and should be updated regularly. This would be in fulfilment of its obligation under Section 4(1) (b) (xvii) of the RTI Act. The complaint is disposed of accordingly.

(Yashovardhan Azad)

Information Commissioner

Citation: Shri Edara Gopi Chand Guntur v. Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in Case No.CIC/SM/C/2013/900613-YA