What is required to be provided under RTI by a PIO?

Background        

The appellant had filed a complaint with a Public Authority. He later filed the RTI application seeking the action taken against his complaint and the names of the two officers who dealt with his complaint. The Public Information Officer (PIO) denied the information stating that it was not 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; of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. He also denied the names of officials claiming that they had performed their role in a collective basis.

View of CIC

The Central Information Commission (CIC) directed the PIO to provide the information observing that every citizen has a right to know about the action taken on any petition or representation or complaint he files before any public authority. Such a request is eminently covered in the definition of information and in such a case, the photocopy of the relevant file noting and correspondence generated in the processing of the complaint should be disclosed. The Commission further noted that the names of the officers who dealt with the petition can also be disclosed unless there was a reasonable ground to believe that the disclosure of the names would endanger the physical safety of those individuals.

Citation: Mr. Ajay Singh v. Union Public Service Commission in File No.CIC/SM/A/2011/001350