Information regarding vasectomy of MPs and MLAs under RTI

Background

The appellant sought the list of male members of the Council of ministers, Parliament and State legislatures, Central and State Governments who had undergone vasectomy operation. The Public Information Officer (PIO) denied the information stating that the information was not maintained as it was desired. Besides it was of a personal nature having no relationship to any public activity or interest and that the disclosure of such information could cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual concerned.

View of CIC

The Central Information Commission (CIC) rejected the appeal observing that whether a public servant like a minister or a government servant has undergone vasectomy operation is entirely a personal matter of the individual concerned and is exempt under  section 8(1)(j) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen, information which relates to personal information the disclosure of which has no relationship to any public activity or interest, or which would cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual unless the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer or the appellate authority, as the case may be, is satisfied that the larger public interest justifies the disclosure of such information: Provided that the information which cannot be denied to the Parliament or a State Legislature shall not be denied to any person. of the RTI Act. The Commission further noted that the RTI request is nothing but frivolous and a blatant attempt at sensationalism.

Citation: Shri Harishchandra Pawar v. Prime Minister’s Office in File No.CIC/SM/A/2011/001378