RTI- CPIO/PIO Cannot Function As 'Post Offices' And Withhold Information Without Reasonable Cause, Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has recently held that the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) or PIOs cannot withhold information without reasonable cause and that such officers cannot function merely as "post offices" while dealing with information sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The judgment was delivered by a Single Judge Bench of the Delhi High Court comprising of...

RTI- Husband Not Entitled To Seek Information Regarding Bank Details & Income Tax Returns Of His Wife: CIC

In a significant order, the Central Information Commission has said that a Husband is not entitled to seek information regarding bank details & income tax returns of his wife under the Right to Information Act, 2005. The Information Commissioner Neeraj Kumar Gupta observed that the filing of the Income Tax Returns by an individual with...

'National Interest' : CIC Advises Home Ministry To Maintain Consolidated Database Regarding Identified Legal/Illegal Migrants

The Central Information Commission has directed Home Ministry to give clear and categorical information to an RTI applicant who sought copies of records/data pertaining to illegal/legal migrants.Chief Information Commissioner Y. K. Sinha also 'advised' the Ministry to maintain a 'consolidated record/database regarding identified legal/illegal...

Look-Out Circulars To Vijay Mallya: CIC Asks CBI To Cite Rules Under Which It Issued Circulars

The Central Information Commission (CIC) on Tuesday (12th January) directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to cite Guidelines, Circulars, Notifications, office Memorandum Rules and Regulations, etc under which two different look-out circulars were issued, in October and November 2015, against Vijay Mallya, who is an accused in loan...

Disclosure Of Interest In Information Being Sought Under RTI Act Necessary To Establish Applicant's Bonafide: Delhi High Court

"Whenever information is sought under the RTI Act, disclosure of an interest in the information sought would be necessary to establish the bonafides of the applicant.”: Delhi HC

'Beneficiaries Of State Largesse' : Karnataka High Court Holds Bangalore Turf Club, Mysore Race Club As Public Authorities Under RTI Act

The Karnataka High Court has held that Bangalore Turf Club Limited, Mysore Race Club Limited, The Institution Of Engineer (India) Karnataka State and Ladies Club, are all 'public authority' as defined under the Right to Information Act, 2005. A single bench of Justice P.B. Bajanthri, while refusing to interfere with the order passed by the...

RTI Applicants Not Expected To Clog System With Barrage Of RTIs Merely Claiming They Are Aimed At Combatting Corruption: CIC

The Central Information Commission recently observed that as much as a CPIO has a statutory responsibility of complying with the provisions of the RTI Act, it is also expected of the RTI Applicant/s "to not undermine the spirit of the RTI Act by clogging the system with such a barrage of RTI applications, merely claiming that these are aimed at...

State Information Commission Has No Power To Direct Removal Of Encroachment Under RTI ACT: Uttarakhand High Court

The Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday (07th January) observed that the State Information Commission has got no power to direct for the removal of encroachment under the Right To Information Act, 2005. The Bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari, in its order, observed that giving a direction for removal of encroachment is beyond the scope of the...

RTI Application Not To Be Rejected Merely For Not Annexing Proof Of Citizenship: CIC

The Central Information Commission has observed that an RTI application cannot be rejected merely for not annexing proof of identity of the applicant.The authority can demand such proof only in rarest of rare case in which there is doubt about the citizenship status of the applicant, the Commission observed.R K Malik, had filed an RTI application...

Electoral Bonds: No Public Interest In Disclosing Identities Of Donors & Donees, Says CIC Rejecting RTI Application

The Central Information Commission on Monday held that disclosure of names of political parties to whom contributions are made under the electoral bonds and the donees thereof, is not in public interest. Information Commissioner Suresh Chandra also said that there does not appear to be any public interest of such importance that requires...

Aarogya Setu RTI Row: CIC Drops Show Cause Notice To CPIOs, Issues Advisory To Ensure That The Website is Up-to-date With All Info

The Central Information Commission has dropped the show cause notices issued to the Central Public Information Officers(CPIOs) of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, National Informatics Centre and National E-Governance Division(NeGD) in connection to the Aarogya Setu RTI case. The proceedings were dropped by Information...

CIC Dismisses Appeal Against Non-Disclosure Of Information Sought From SC Regarding 38 Petitions In Aadhaar Case

The Central Information Commission has dismissed an appeal filed by an RTI Applicant against non-disclosure of the information sought about the decisions taken in 38 petitions disposed by the Supreme Court in Aadhaar judgment.The Commission said that the judgment titled Justice K. S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India comprises of collective decision...