Central Information Commission Pulls Up Chandigarh Administration Over RTI Handling
The Central Information Commission (CIC) has taken a stern stance against the Chandigarh Union Territory (UT) administration for its handling of a Right to Information (RTI) request. The commission has raised serious questions regarding the administration's compliance with the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005, highlighting a potential breach of transparency norms.
Show-Cause Notice Issued to CPIO
Chief Information Commissioner Raj Kumar Goyal has issued a formal show-cause notice to the concerned Central Public Information Officer (CPIO). This notice demands an explanation as to why penal action should not be initiated against the officer for denying the information sought by an RTI applicant. The move underscores the CIC's commitment to enforcing accountability under the RTI framework.
Details of the Denied RTI Application
The RTI application in question had requested comprehensive post-wise and category-wise details of sanctioned positions within the UT Secretariat. Specifically, the applicant sought information on roles including:
- Junior scale stenographers
- Senior scale stenographers
- Personal assistants
- Private secretaries
Additionally, the application asked for reservation break-ups across various categories such as:
- Unreserved (UR)
- Scheduled Caste (SC)
- Scheduled Tribe (ST)
- Other Backward Classes (OBC)
- Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)
- Physically Handicapped (PH)
- Ex-Servicemen (ESM)
Administration's Justification and CIC's Scrutiny
The Public Information Officer (PIO) denied providing this information, citing a Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) office memorandum dated November 28, 2013. The PIO argued that the requested details were scattered across multiple departments, making it impractical to compile. Consequently, the applicant was advised to file separate RTI applications for each department. This response was later upheld by the First Appellate Authority, adding another layer to the dispute.
However, the CIC has now intervened, challenging this justification. The commission's action suggests that such denials may not align with the spirit of the RTI Act, which aims to promote transparency and ease of access to information for citizens. By issuing the show-cause notice, the CIC is pushing for a reevaluation of how public authorities handle RTI requests, especially in cases involving fragmented data across departments.
This incident highlights ongoing issues in RTI implementation at the local level and serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to statutory obligations to ensure governmental accountability.
