RTI: Maintain order sheets, upload within three days: Delhi HC to CIC; Disclose DHJS exam interview marks under RTI: HC …

RTI NEWS

 Maintain order sheets, upload within three days: Delhi HC to Central Information Commission
Disclose DHJS exam interview marks under RTI: HC
Amount charged after delaying the information to be returned
Service Details Of Employees Amounts To ‘Personal Information’ under the RTI Act: SC
More …

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RECENT DECISIONS/POSTS

RTIMaintain order sheets, upload within three days: Delhi HC to Central Information Commission

Moneycontrol.com
Sep 24, 2017
In a bid to make the functioning of the country’s transparency watchdog Central Information Commission (CIC) transparent, the Delhi High Court has directed it to maintain a record of daily proceedings and upload it within three days of the hearing a case.
The order came after the CIC told the High Court that most of the cases were decided on the basis of a single hearing and hence, there was no requirement for maintaining the record of daily orders. …

Disclose DHJS exam interview marks under RTI: HC

India.com
September 24, 2017
New Delhi, Sep 24 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has directed its information officer to disclose under the RTI, the marks awarded by an interview panel to candidates of Delhi Higher Judicial Service (DHJS) examination held in 2013.
The court said when the results of the examination have been placed in public domain, there was no question of claiming any exemption under the Right To Information (RTI) Act. …

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RTIAmount charged after delaying the information to be returned

Sep 16, 2017 : Dtf.in
Information regarding the number of outsider postmen at Jalgaon HO and since when they had been discharging their duties along with their names and other particulars, was sought by an information seeker under the Right to Information Act, 2005. CPIO provided point-wise information 25.02.2015. FAA vide his order stated that information on record be supplied within the stipulated period. Being dissatisfied by the response received, the appellant approached this Commission.
The CIC on May 29, 2017 ordered, inter alia, as under:-
“It is wrong to collect huge amount after delaying the response by two months. As per law they cannot charge if they have delayed the response beyond one month. Hence the Commission directs the respondent authority to provide complete information after certifying the documents and return Rs.7,096 to the appellant.”
More: CIC Decision dated 14.09.2017 on the Appeal filed by Shri R.B. Patil Vs. PIO, Department of Posts >>> CIC Decisions

Right to InformationService Details Of Employees Amounts To ‘Personal Information’ under the RTI Act: SC

Sep 01, 2017 : Dtf.in
The Supreme Court has held that service details of employees, being personal in nature, was exempt from being disclosed under Section 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information Act, 2005. Such details cannot be provided unless there is involvement of any larger public interest.
The Hon’ble Supreme Court has held as under:-
“14)  … … It is for the reasons that, firstly, the information sought by respondent No.1 of individual employees working in the Bank was personal in nature; secondly, it was exempted from being disclosed under Section 8(j) of the Act and lastly, neither respondent No.1 disclosed any public interest much less larger public interest involved in seeking such information of the individual employee and nor any finding was recorded by the Central Information Commission and the High Court as to the involvement of any larger public interest in supplying such information to respondent No.1.
15)   It is for these reasons, we are of the considered view that the application made by respondent No.1 under Section 6 of the Act was wholly misconceived and was, therefore, rightly rejected by the Public Information Officer and Chief Public Information
Officer whereas wrongly allowed by the Central Information Commission and the High Court.
16)   In this view of the matter, we allow the appeal … “
More: SC Judgment dated 31.08.2017 – Canara Bank Rep. by its Deputy Gen. Manager Vs. C.S. Shyam & Anr. >>> Supreme Court Judgements

Service LawHigh Court tells government to disclose IB report to IFS officer

Hindustantimes.com
Aug 24, 2017
The Delhi high court on Wednesday upheld a CIC order directing the Centre to give IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi a copy of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) report regarding alleged harassment and false cases filed against the whistle-blower for exposing graft during his tenure as forest officer in Haryana.
The court dismissed the IB’s plea challenging Chief Information Commission’s (CIC) April 2016 order directing to provide a copy of the report in relation to the alleged harassment, human rights violation, and false cases filed against Chaturvedi. …

RTICIC orders Madras High Court to publish impunged orders on website

Indiaexpress.com
August 17, 2017
The Central Information Commission has directed the Madras High Court registry to upload impugned orders of lower courts and tribunals on its website in larger public interest.
Chief Information Commissioner R K Mathur said the disclosures would help the general public, litigants and stakeholders link the orders of the High Court with impugned or challenged orders. …

RTI61 per cent dip in penalties imposed by CIC: Govt

India.com
July 19, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) The number of penalties imposed by the Central Information Commission have reduced by 61 per cent between 2013-14 and 2015-16.
“In so far the Central Information Commission (CIC) is concerned, penalty was imposed in 138 number of cases in the year 2013-14, 44 cases in 2014-15 and 54 cases in 2015-16. No data is centrally maintained for state information commissions,” Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh today said in the Lok Sabha. …

RTIRTI would be discarded if applicant dies: Centre

Aisanage.com
Jul 12, 2017,
Mumbai: The Centre’s new set of draft rules for Right To Information (RTI) Act, which makes it tougher for applicants to seek information under the Act, has become controversial. One of the major provisions that is being opposed by all, says that the application would be discarded if the applicant dies. RTI activists across the country have been fighting to remove this particular provision, which according to them would jeopardise the lives of the applicants. There have been allegations that the government has tried to dilute the RTI Act ever since its inception. …

Right to Information or Right to Intimidation?

Hindustantimes.com
Jul 08, 2017
Earlier this year the government proposed some changes to the RTI rules, which has caused concern to activists. Once passed, the RTI Rules 2017 will replace the RTI Rules 2012. The proposed rules were put out on the DoPT website for comments, and many say they have written to the department with their suggestions. Two of the most worrying changes in the rules are the provisions that proceedings pending before the commission shall abate on the death of the appellant and that the Commission may allow an appellant to withdraw an appeal if the matter has not been finally heard or a decision or order not been pronounced already by the Commission. (HT) …

RTIWhy can’t Governor’s office come under RTI ambit: SC

India.com
July 9, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) Why can’t the office of high constitutional functionaries like Governor come under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Supreme Court asked today.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy raised the question during the hearing of a plea file by the Centre challenging a 2011 order of Bombay High Court directing the disclosure of Governor’s report given to the President about the political situation in Goa in 2007. …

Central Information Commission directs govt to disclose data of officers facing corruption charges

Firstpost.com
Jul, 02 2017
New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the government to proactively put in the public domain data about officials facing corruption cases in each department.
The transparency watchdog has directed the Department of Personnel and Training to ensure that “numerical” data of government officials facing corruption charges should be brought out in public domain but not their names. …

Central Information Commission directs govt to disclose data of officers facing corruption charges

Firstpost.com
Jul, 02 2017
New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the government to proactively put in the public domain data about officials facing corruption cases in each department. 
The transparency watchdog has directed the Department of Personnel and Training to ensure that “numerical” data of government officials facing corruption charges should be brought out in public domain but not their names. …

Why can’t Governor’s office come under RTI ambit: SC

India.com
July 9, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) Why can’t the office of high constitutional functionaries like Governor come under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Supreme Court asked today.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy raised the question during the hearing of a plea file by the Centre challenging a 2011 order of Bombay High Court directing the disclosure of Governor’s report given to the President about the political situation in Goa in 2007. …

RTICIC returns RTI plea written in Gujarati

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jun 5, 2017
Ahmedabad: Central Information Commissioner (CIC) has returned a plea under Right to Information (RTI) Act filed by a city-based activist seeking details of black money seized after demonetization. The office has said it has returned the application as it was in Gujarati and not written in English or Hindi. …

RTIDraft RTI rules: Clause allowing appeals to be withdrawn puts applicants at risk, warn activists

Scroll.in
Apr 04, 2017
After five years, the Union government has decided to update the rules for the implementation of the Right to Information Act, which was passed by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime in 2005 to provide a transparent mechanism for citizens to access information.

The Department of Personnel and Training, the nodal department enforcing the Act, put up the draft rules on its website last week, seeking feedback from the public by April 15. The idea behind the revamp of the rules is to simplify the process of obtaining information. However, certain changes proposed in the new draft rules have not gone down well with transparency activists, who fear it may end up as a tool to intimidate them and discourage citizens from using the law. …

RTICIC directed Chief Passport Officer to lay down clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report

March 13, .2017 : Dtf.in
New Delhi. The Chief Passport Officer has been directed by the Hon’ble CIC, inter alia, to lay down clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report. The Hon’ble CIC’s order was passed while deciding the second appeal from an RTI applicant who had applied for issuance of a new passport.
The respondent participated in the hearing through counsel in person. The appellant did not participate in the hearing.
In the order passed on March 08, 2017, the respondent was directed to provide to the appellant the information in context of his RTI application within 30 days of the said order. The Respondent CPIO was directed to show cause why action should not be taken against them for contravening the provisions of the RTI Act including not giving correct information, within 30 days of the said order. Further, the Chief Passport Officer was “directed to issue directions to all offices for:
(i) Invariably giving point-wise replies to RTI application.
(ii) Specific deficient documents should be clearly mentioned.
(iii) If an adverse police report is received, its copy should be sent to applicant immediately for his comments.
(iv) Clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report should be laid down.” The time granted for compliance is “within 30 days”.

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RTIInformation on consumer amenities must be given under RTI: CIC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Mar 9, 2017
CHENNAI: Data on the number of toilets, water supply, electricity and number of counters provided for transactions of receipts and withdrawals in a bank branch cannot be denied under the Right to Information Act.
This is the gist of a ruling by the Central Information Commission (CIC) recently, in response to an RTI petition filed by Chennai-based consumer activist, T Sadagopan, who, in 2015 had filed an RTI petition with the Avadi branch of Bank of India (BoI). …

RTICooperative Banks within the purview of the RTI Act: Bombay High Court

March 3, 2017 : Dtf.in
It has been held by the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court that co-operative institutions “need to supply” information to any “public authority” established under the Cooperative Societies Act. The petitioners had sought exemption under the RTI Act, 2005.
In para 10 of their judgment dated February 13, 2017, in the case of Jalgaon Jillha Urban Cooperative Banks Association Ltd., Jalgaon Vs. State of Maharashtra & Ors., Hon’ble Bombay High Court has decided as under:-
“The provisions of the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act if read with the definition of information given in section 2(f) of the Act, it can be said that everything which is mentioned in the definition of information needs to be supplied  by the cooperative institution to the authority created under the Cooperative Societies Act. The definition of ‘public authority’ given in section 2(h) shows that such public authority can be created by any law made by the State Legislature. It is already observed that the officers like Register and his subordinate officers are appointed under the Cooperative Societies Act and they have the control over the aforesaid things. In view of these circumstances, the observations made by the Apex Court in the paragraphs already quoted can be used safely when the information is sought from the authority like Register or his subordinates under the Cooperative Societies Act. Thus, the reliefs claimed in the present petition cannot be granted as the reliefs can be used directly or indirectly by the cooperative institutions to deny the supply of the information. The circumstances that the other matters were allowed by this court, other Bench of this Court, cannot come in the way of giving present decision by this Court as the decision of the Supreme Court was not there when other matters were decided by this Court. This Court holds that no relief which is claimed in the present petition can be given to the petitioner. The previous interpretation made by this Court is not correct interpretation in view of the law laid down by the Apex Court. In the result, the petition stands dismissed.”

More: Cooperative Banks/Societies within the ambit of RTI Act –  Bombay HC Judgment dated 13.02.2017 – Jalgaon Jillha Urban Cooperative Banks Association Ltd., Jalgaon Vs. The State of Maharashtra & Others [Section 2(h)]

Housing societies bound by RTI Act, must share info: Court

The petitioner had argued before the court that cooperative institutions registered under the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960 cannot be treated as `public authority’ under sections 2(h) and 8 of the RTI Act
Economic Times
March 02, 2017
Cooperative institutions, including around 75,000 housing societies in the Mumbai metropolitan region, can no longer refuse to share records under the Right To Information (RTI) Act with the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court ruling that these establishments come under the purview of the transparency legislation. …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Delhi HC stays CIC fine on DU for rejecting RTI queries on PM, Irani

Indianexpress.com
February 21, 2017
The Delhi High Court today stayed three separate CIC orders imposing Rs 25,000 penalty on Delhi University’s public information officer for rejecting RTI applications seeking facts about the graduation degrees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva observed that the RTI applicants “wasted judicial time” by filing “frivolous” pleas before the Central Information Commission (CIC) for rejection of their applications on technical grounds, instead of addressing the deficiencies pointed out by the central public information officer (CPIO) of Delhi University (DU). …

RTIHC quashes CIC order asking BCD to give minutes of meetings

India.com
February 15, 2017
New Delhi, Feb 15 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has set aside a CIC order directing the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) to provide the minutes of all meetings held by it from April 2010 till March 2015 and its sources of income.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said the Central Information Commission (CIC) “fell in error” in issuing the direction to put all such information in public domain as the minutes of meetings would contain “confidential personal information and information received in fiduciary capacity”. …

Frivolous queries irk officials

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Feb 08, 2017
AURANGABAD: Several government and semi-government officials here said they have become familiar with some persons, who habitually file RTI applications. They claimed that a closer scrutiny of such applications would reveal that the whole purpose of filing the Right To Information pleas contravenes the purpose of the transparency Act. …

RTIStudents can now seek ICSE answer sheets, re-evaluation: Info panel

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Feb 6, 2017
MUMBAI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has brought the private Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) board under the purview of the RTI Act. The ruling came after the appellant’s request for copies of his son’s ICSE exam answer sheets for six subjects was turned down. Kaushik’s father had applied for rechecking of his son’s papers, but CISCE norms only allow the verification of marks at a fee of Rs 4,000 for all papers. …

RTITop law officer out of RTI ambit: HC

Telegraphindia.com
New Delhi, Feb. 3 (PTI): The office of the attorney-general of India does not come under the Right to Information Act as it is not a “public authority”, Delhi High Court ruled today.
The verdict by a division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath came on an appeal by the Centre challenging the decision of a single judge who had held that the AG’s office is a public authority under the ambit of the transparency law. …

More than 60 per cent CIC orders flawed: study

Dnaindia.com 
Mon, 30 Jan 2017
It was conducted by the Research, Assessment and Group (RAAG) and Satark Nagrik Sangathan, which look after the implementation of RTI
More than 60 percent of the central information commission (CIC) orders are “deficient” in terms of “recording critical facts” and “grounds for decision of the IC and the basis thereof.” …

CIC has no power to order jail authorities reg compensation: HC

Business-standard.com 
January 27, 2017
Central Information Commission (CIC) does not have the power to direct Tihar Jail to develop a system of compensating inmates who have been incarcerated beyond their period of sentence, Delhi High Court has held.  …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Central Information Commission order on Narendra Modi degree stayed by Delhi HC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jan 24, 2017
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Monday stayed till April 27 a Central Information Commission order asking Delhi University to allow inspection of records of all students who cleared BA examination in 1978, which includes prime minister Narendra Modi. …

Man uses RTI to prove his wife is employed

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Dec 24, 2016
LUCKNOW: Settling family disputes through RTI is a trend not new to UP State Information Commission (UPSIC). The latest to have reached the commission is from Meerut. The case pertains to a harried husband.
The man has filed a complaint in the commission and said he is being harassed by his wife. He has urged to provide him the information he has sought under the Right to Information (RTI). The information, he said, if given, would be of extreme help. …

CIC directs Railway Board to amend the rules for copying charges under RTI

Dec 14, 2016 : Dtf.in
New Delhi. The Central Information Commission has, on December 5, directed the Railway Board to stop charging Rs 750 per page for photocopying and follow the provisions of the RTI Act and Rules. Under the RTI Act, Rs. two per page has been fixed for photocopying. The appellant did not participate in the hearing.
The respondent stated that the appellant was asked to deposit copying fee Rs. 750/- for reservation chart as per Railway Rules but the appellant did not respond to that letter. The appellant filed 2nd appeal before the CIC.
Hon’ble CIC, in its order, directed the Railway Board to take steps to amend the rules regarding copying charges suitably to bring them in conformity with the letter and spirit of the RTI Act and Rules.

Officials accused of sexual harassment entitled to get copy of complaint

Disclose details of corrupt officials: Info panel to govt

Order issued on an application by Rohtak-based RTI activist 
Tribuneindia.com
Rohtak, December 5, 2016
Efforts of a Rohtak-based RTI activist to get details about the involvement of IAS, HCS, IPS and HPS officers in corruption cases finally seem to be bearing fruit.
The Haryana government as well as the State Information Commission had earlier refused to furnish the information sought by the applicant under the RTI Act. The applicant then moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which directed the commission to reconsider the matter. …

Right of retired employee & RTI

Thehansindia.com
Nov 29,2016
Two issues show the inefficiency in the system– non-filling of the vacancies and not giving pension and other benefits on the day of retirement. …

Citizens To File Information Commission Complaints, Appeals Online

Ndtv.com
November 04, 2016
New Delhi:  Right To Information or RTI applicants will soon be able to file complaints and appeals with Central Information Commission (CIC) online.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the two-day annual convention of the CIC on Monday, during which he will launch the ‘e-Court’ system – aimed at enabling speedy disposal of appeals and complaints by using digital technology. …

Air Show
Representational Photo (Pixabay Image)

Make public report on aviator death: CIC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sep 28, 2016
NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Navy to make public the inquiry report on the death of Lt Cdr Rahul Nair during a 2010 air show even as it pulled up officials for their “cavalier attitude”. In a strongly worded order, information commissioner D P Sinha said that it appeared as if an “attempt has been made to protect the interest of the defaulters and that certainly does not out-weigh the interest of the soldier who lost his life in such an accident”. …

Haryana Information Commission rules that Students can seek Photocopies of Answer Sheets

Amit University Students awaken patriotic poems of the Nation (Image Courtesy: Amity.edu)
Amity University Students awaken patriotic poems of the Nation (Image Courtesy: Amity.edu)

Enaindia.in 
New Delhi. August 12 (ENA). State Information Commission of Haryana has ruled that students seeking photocopies of their answer sheets under the Right to Information (RTI) Act cannot be denied permission by universities.

According to the ruling of the information commission even if university rules don’t permit the distribution of photocopies of answer sheets to students on demand, the rules under the RTI Act supersedes any university rule thereby giving students the right to demand and get photocopies of their answer sheets. …

Compensation to be paid by teacher, school if kids subjected to corporal punishment 

    School should be made a place of pleasant learning for kids, free from assaults and humiliations.
School should be made a place of pleasant learning for kids, free from assaults and humiliations. (Pixabay Image)

July 25, 2016 : Dtf.in

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has on last Friday held that the teacher and the school also shall be liable to pay compensation to the injured child according to law.
As per the order of the Information Commissioner, the denial of information by the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) was unwarranted.
The information was denied by the CPIO on the ground that it was third party information. The applicant submitted that he needed the information so that his daughter could secure custody of children in her marital dispute against husband Yagya Dutt Arya. The Information Commissioner has decided that “Even if Section 8(1)(j) is assumed to be invoked, the school should have considered that imposing corporal punishment on children is against several laws including Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, is a public wrong, its disclosure has relationship with public activity and it will be in public interest, the revelation of which would not cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual, besides larger public interest is involved in disclosure only.”
The Information Commissioner has, inter alia, passed the following order:-

“28. The teacher and the school also shall be liable to pay compensation to the injured child according to law. The Commission directs the KVS, headquarters and regional directors to voluntarily disclose whether they have framed policy as advised by the NCPCR to eliminate the corporal punishment in their schools, details of incidents of corporal punishments and action taken against liable teachers, compensation to be paid and amount of compensation paid to the victims etc, every year, beginning with 2015-16, within three months. The Commission recommends that each school shall publish such a report every year, which shall be the model for other school. It will go a long way in making school a place of pleasant learning free from assaults and humiliations. The KVS also should have a policy of paying some amount as compensation to the victim children and that amount should be deducted from the salary of liable teacher. The public authority is directed to collect details of teachers punished for corporal assaults on children including the case of Mr. Yagya Dutt Arya. The Commission directs the KVS headquarters to circulate copy of this order to all schools and regional offices. Disposed of.”

See CIC Order dated 22.07.2016 >>> CIC Decision dated 22.07.2016 on Appeal filed by Bhramanand Mishra Vs. PIO, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan, Lucknow
[Sections 4(1)(a) & 8(1)(j); RTE Act, JJ Act; Art. 21,21A & 39(e) of the Constitution of India; Inquiry Report, School] >>> CIC Decisions

High Court seeks Centre’s reply on notary’s plea against CIC order

India.com
In the interim, the court extended till the next date the time for payment of the first installment of the penalty and also stayed CIC’s direction to the notary to pay Rs 1000 as compensation to RTI applicant Nand Lal.
July 7, 2016
New Delhi, Jul 7 : Delhi High Court has sought the Centre’s response on a notary’s plea challenging Central Information Commission’s (CIC) order declaring her to be a deemed Public Information Officer (PIO) and imposing a fine of Rs 25,000 for not furnishing records sought under RTI. Apart from the Centre, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva also issued notice to the RTI applicant, who had under the Right to Information Act (RTI) sought details of attestations made by the notary from 2008 to 2013, seeking his reply by the next date of hearing on July 13. In the interim, the court extended till the next date the time for payment of the first installment of the penalty and also stayed CIC’s direction to the notary to pay Rs 1000 as compensation to RTI applicant Nand Lal. …

Report CardGovt asks all departments to upload report cards on websites every month

Hindustantimes.com
Jun 27, 2016
This small step could go a long way to raise the transparency bar.
The Modi government has told all central departments to go public with a report card of its activities and achievements on a monthly basis. …

Training on RTIComing soon: IGNOU to offer diploma course on Right to Information

Hindustantimes.com
Jun 11, 2016
In order to encourage people to understand societal relevance of the Right to Information Act and its nuances, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has decided to introduce certificate and diploma courses in the subject. …

Right to Information

Private colleges, schools under RTI ambit

Tribuneindia.com
Shimla, June 9, 2016
To ensure transparency in the functioning of private educational institutions, the government has decided to bring all private colleges, senior secondary and high schools under the RTI Act 2005 with immediate effect. However, the Act will not cover medical and nursing colleges and schools affiliated to the CBSE and the ICSE. …

CIC wants RTI activist punished for misuse of law

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 21, 2016
NEW DELHI: In an unusual move, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has recommended action against an RTI applicant for misusing the law to harass his colleagues in a Delhi college.

CIC bans appearance of lawyer, HC stays order

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 3, 2016
New Delhi, Apr 3 () An Information Commissioner has “banned” the appearance of a counsel for the External Affairs Ministry before his bench on the ground that he was not discharging his duties as an advocate, an order which has been stayed by the Delhi High Court. …

Central Information Commission does away with need of hard copies for online appeals

Zeenews.india.com  
March 15, 2016
New Delhi: In a major procedural change, the Central Information Commission has done away with the mandatory provision of sending signed hard copy of appeals through post even though the appellant approached it online. …

Don’t disclose students’ information without consulting parents: CIC    

Zeenews.india.com
In a warning to the RTI applicant, Acharyulu said, “The Commission records its admonition against the appellant for misuse of RTI against the school child and warns him against such misuse in future.
January 26, 2016
The Commission admonished the principal of RD Public School and Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of Directorate of Education (DoE) of Delhi government for disclosing information about a student to his relatives who had a dispute with the student’s family. …

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RTI: Amount charged after delaying the information to be returned …

RTI NEWS

Amount charged after delaying the information to be returned
Service Details Of Employees Amounts To ‘Personal Information’ under the RTI Act: SC
High Court tells government to disclose IB report to IFS officer
CIC orders Madras High Court to publish impunged orders on website
More …

Go to NEWS.

RECENT DECISIONS/POSTS

RTIAmount charged after delaying the information to be returned

Sep 16, 2017 : Dtf.in
Information regarding the number of outsider postmen at Jalgaon HO and since when they had been discharging their duties along with their names and other particulars, was sought by an information seeker under the Right to Information Act, 2005. CPIO provided point-wise information 25.02.2015. FAA vide his order stated that information on record be supplied within the stipulated period. Being dissatisfied by the response received, the appellant approached this Commission.
The CIC on May 29, 2017 ordered, inter alia, as under:-
“It is wrong to collect huge amount after delaying the response by two months. As per law they cannot charge if they have delayed the response beyond one month. Hence the Commission directs the respondent authority to provide complete information after certifying the documents and return Rs.7,096 to the appellant.”
More: CIC Decision dated 14.09.2017 on the Appeal filed by Shri R.B. Patil Vs. PIO, Department of Posts >>> CIC Decisions

Right to InformationService Details Of Employees Amounts To ‘Personal Information’ under the RTI Act: SC

Sep 01, 2017 : Dtf.in
The Supreme Court has held that service details of employees, being personal in nature, was exempt from being disclosed under Section 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information Act, 2005. Such details cannot be provided unless there is involvement of any larger public interest.
The Hon’ble Supreme Court has held as under:-
“14)  … … It is for the reasons that, firstly, the information sought by respondent No.1 of individual employees working in the Bank was personal in nature; secondly, it was exempted from being disclosed under Section 8(j) of the Act and lastly, neither respondent No.1 disclosed any public interest much less larger public interest involved in seeking such information of the individual employee and nor any finding was recorded by the Central Information Commission and the High Court as to the involvement of any larger public interest in supplying such information to respondent No.1.
15)   It is for these reasons, we are of the considered view that the application made by respondent No.1 under Section 6 of the Act was wholly misconceived and was, therefore, rightly rejected by the Public Information Officer and Chief Public Information
Officer whereas wrongly allowed by the Central Information Commission and the High Court.
16)   In this view of the matter, we allow the appeal … “
More: SC Judgment dated 31.08.2017 – Canara Bank Rep. by its Deputy Gen. Manager Vs. C.S. Shyam & Anr. >>> Supreme Court Judgements

Service LawHigh Court tells government to disclose IB report to IFS officer

Hindustantimes.com
Aug 24, 2017
The Delhi high court on Wednesday upheld a CIC order directing the Centre to give IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi a copy of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) report regarding alleged harassment and false cases filed against the whistle-blower for exposing graft during his tenure as forest officer in Haryana.
The court dismissed the IB’s plea challenging Chief Information Commission’s (CIC) April 2016 order directing to provide a copy of the report in relation to the alleged harassment, human rights violation, and false cases filed against Chaturvedi. …

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RTI Rules/Orders * RTI – Court Judgments * Latest DOPT/CVC/RTI/MOF/CGHS/DPE Orders/Circulars Latest Department of Personnel & Training (DOPT)/DPPW Orders/Circulars * Latest Ministry of Finance Orders/Circulars * Deptt. of Public Enterprises (DPE) Circulars  * Vigilance Clearance and Vigilance Clearance Certificate * Vigilance Related GOI/CVC  Orders/Circulars * Decisions of Central Information Commission – Section-Wise * CGHS Circulars/Empanelled Hospitals/Package Rates Reserve Bank of India (RBI) – Circulars & Master Circulars (Subject-Wise)

RTICIC orders Madras High Court to publish impunged orders on website

Indiaexpress.com
August 17, 2017
The Central Information Commission has directed the Madras High Court registry to upload impugned orders of lower courts and tribunals on its website in larger public interest.
Chief Information Commissioner R K Mathur said the disclosures would help the general public, litigants and stakeholders link the orders of the High Court with impugned or challenged orders. …

RTI61 per cent dip in penalties imposed by CIC: Govt

India.com
July 19, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) The number of penalties imposed by the Central Information Commission have reduced by 61 per cent between 2013-14 and 2015-16.
“In so far the Central Information Commission (CIC) is concerned, penalty was imposed in 138 number of cases in the year 2013-14, 44 cases in 2014-15 and 54 cases in 2015-16. No data is centrally maintained for state information commissions,” Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh today said in the Lok Sabha. …

RTIRTI would be discarded if applicant dies: Centre

Aisanage.com
Jul 12, 2017,
Mumbai: The Centre’s new set of draft rules for Right To Information (RTI) Act, which makes it tougher for applicants to seek information under the Act, has become controversial. One of the major provisions that is being opposed by all, says that the application would be discarded if the applicant dies. RTI activists across the country have been fighting to remove this particular provision, which according to them would jeopardise the lives of the applicants. There have been allegations that the government has tried to dilute the RTI Act ever since its inception. …

Right to Information or Right to Intimidation?

Hindustantimes.com
Jul 08, 2017
Earlier this year the government proposed some changes to the RTI rules, which has caused concern to activists. Once passed, the RTI Rules 2017 will replace the RTI Rules 2012. The proposed rules were put out on the DoPT website for comments, and many say they have written to the department with their suggestions. Two of the most worrying changes in the rules are the provisions that proceedings pending before the commission shall abate on the death of the appellant and that the Commission may allow an appellant to withdraw an appeal if the matter has not been finally heard or a decision or order not been pronounced already by the Commission. (HT) …

RTIWhy can’t Governor’s office come under RTI ambit: SC

India.com
July 9, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) Why can’t the office of high constitutional functionaries like Governor come under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Supreme Court asked today.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy raised the question during the hearing of a plea file by the Centre challenging a 2011 order of Bombay High Court directing the disclosure of Governor’s report given to the President about the political situation in Goa in 2007. …

Central Information Commission directs govt to disclose data of officers facing corruption charges

Firstpost.com
Jul, 02 2017
New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the government to proactively put in the public domain data about officials facing corruption cases in each department.
The transparency watchdog has directed the Department of Personnel and Training to ensure that “numerical” data of government officials facing corruption charges should be brought out in public domain but not their names. …

Central Information Commission directs govt to disclose data of officers facing corruption charges

Firstpost.com
Jul, 02 2017
New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the government to proactively put in the public domain data about officials facing corruption cases in each department. 
The transparency watchdog has directed the Department of Personnel and Training to ensure that “numerical” data of government officials facing corruption charges should be brought out in public domain but not their names. …

Why can’t Governor’s office come under RTI ambit: SC

India.com
July 9, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) Why can’t the office of high constitutional functionaries like Governor come under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Supreme Court asked today.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy raised the question during the hearing of a plea file by the Centre challenging a 2011 order of Bombay High Court directing the disclosure of Governor’s report given to the President about the political situation in Goa in 2007. …

RTICIC returns RTI plea written in Gujarati

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jun 5, 2017
Ahmedabad: Central Information Commissioner (CIC) has returned a plea under Right to Information (RTI) Act filed by a city-based activist seeking details of black money seized after demonetization. The office has said it has returned the application as it was in Gujarati and not written in English or Hindi. …

RTIDraft RTI rules: Clause allowing appeals to be withdrawn puts applicants at risk, warn activists

Scroll.in
Apr 04, 2017
After five years, the Union government has decided to update the rules for the implementation of the Right to Information Act, which was passed by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime in 2005 to provide a transparent mechanism for citizens to access information.

The Department of Personnel and Training, the nodal department enforcing the Act, put up the draft rules on its website last week, seeking feedback from the public by April 15. The idea behind the revamp of the rules is to simplify the process of obtaining information. However, certain changes proposed in the new draft rules have not gone down well with transparency activists, who fear it may end up as a tool to intimidate them and discourage citizens from using the law. …

RTICIC directed Chief Passport Officer to lay down clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report

March 13, .2017 : Dtf.in
New Delhi. The Chief Passport Officer has been directed by the Hon’ble CIC, inter alia, to lay down clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report. The Hon’ble CIC’s order was passed while deciding the second appeal from an RTI applicant who had applied for issuance of a new passport.
The respondent participated in the hearing through counsel in person. The appellant did not participate in the hearing.
In the order passed on March 08, 2017, the respondent was directed to provide to the appellant the information in context of his RTI application within 30 days of the said order. The Respondent CPIO was directed to show cause why action should not be taken against them for contravening the provisions of the RTI Act including not giving correct information, within 30 days of the said order. Further, the Chief Passport Officer was “directed to issue directions to all offices for:
(i) Invariably giving point-wise replies to RTI application.
(ii) Specific deficient documents should be clearly mentioned.
(iii) If an adverse police report is received, its copy should be sent to applicant immediately for his comments.
(iv) Clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report should be laid down.” The time granted for compliance is “within 30 days”.

The above information is subject to the Disclaimer of Dtf.in.

RTIInformation on consumer amenities must be given under RTI: CIC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Mar 9, 2017
CHENNAI: Data on the number of toilets, water supply, electricity and number of counters provided for transactions of receipts and withdrawals in a bank branch cannot be denied under the Right to Information Act.
This is the gist of a ruling by the Central Information Commission (CIC) recently, in response to an RTI petition filed by Chennai-based consumer activist, T Sadagopan, who, in 2015 had filed an RTI petition with the Avadi branch of Bank of India (BoI). …

RTICooperative Banks within the purview of the RTI Act: Bombay High Court

March 3, 2017 : Dtf.in
It has been held by the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court that co-operative institutions “need to supply” information to any “public authority” established under the Cooperative Societies Act. The petitioners had sought exemption under the RTI Act, 2005.
In para 10 of their judgment dated February 13, 2017, in the case of Jalgaon Jillha Urban Cooperative Banks Association Ltd., Jalgaon Vs. State of Maharashtra & Ors., Hon’ble Bombay High Court has decided as under:-
“The provisions of the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act if read with the definition of information given in section 2(f) of the Act, it can be said that everything which is mentioned in the definition of information needs to be supplied  by the cooperative institution to the authority created under the Cooperative Societies Act. The definition of ‘public authority’ given in section 2(h) shows that such public authority can be created by any law made by the State Legislature. It is already observed that the officers like Register and his subordinate officers are appointed under the Cooperative Societies Act and they have the control over the aforesaid things. In view of these circumstances, the observations made by the Apex Court in the paragraphs already quoted can be used safely when the information is sought from the authority like Register or his subordinates under the Cooperative Societies Act. Thus, the reliefs claimed in the present petition cannot be granted as the reliefs can be used directly or indirectly by the cooperative institutions to deny the supply of the information. The circumstances that the other matters were allowed by this court, other Bench of this Court, cannot come in the way of giving present decision by this Court as the decision of the Supreme Court was not there when other matters were decided by this Court. This Court holds that no relief which is claimed in the present petition can be given to the petitioner. The previous interpretation made by this Court is not correct interpretation in view of the law laid down by the Apex Court. In the result, the petition stands dismissed.”

More: Cooperative Banks/Societies within the ambit of RTI Act –  Bombay HC Judgment dated 13.02.2017 – Jalgaon Jillha Urban Cooperative Banks Association Ltd., Jalgaon Vs. The State of Maharashtra & Others [Section 2(h)]

Housing societies bound by RTI Act, must share info: Court

The petitioner had argued before the court that cooperative institutions registered under the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960 cannot be treated as `public authority’ under sections 2(h) and 8 of the RTI Act
Economic Times
March 02, 2017
Cooperative institutions, including around 75,000 housing societies in the Mumbai metropolitan region, can no longer refuse to share records under the Right To Information (RTI) Act with the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court ruling that these establishments come under the purview of the transparency legislation. …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Delhi HC stays CIC fine on DU for rejecting RTI queries on PM, Irani

Indianexpress.com
February 21, 2017
The Delhi High Court today stayed three separate CIC orders imposing Rs 25,000 penalty on Delhi University’s public information officer for rejecting RTI applications seeking facts about the graduation degrees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva observed that the RTI applicants “wasted judicial time” by filing “frivolous” pleas before the Central Information Commission (CIC) for rejection of their applications on technical grounds, instead of addressing the deficiencies pointed out by the central public information officer (CPIO) of Delhi University (DU). …

RTIHC quashes CIC order asking BCD to give minutes of meetings

India.com
February 15, 2017
New Delhi, Feb 15 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has set aside a CIC order directing the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) to provide the minutes of all meetings held by it from April 2010 till March 2015 and its sources of income.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said the Central Information Commission (CIC) “fell in error” in issuing the direction to put all such information in public domain as the minutes of meetings would contain “confidential personal information and information received in fiduciary capacity”. …

Frivolous queries irk officials

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Feb 08, 2017
AURANGABAD: Several government and semi-government officials here said they have become familiar with some persons, who habitually file RTI applications. They claimed that a closer scrutiny of such applications would reveal that the whole purpose of filing the Right To Information pleas contravenes the purpose of the transparency Act. …

RTIStudents can now seek ICSE answer sheets, re-evaluation: Info panel

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Feb 6, 2017
MUMBAI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has brought the private Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) board under the purview of the RTI Act. The ruling came after the appellant’s request for copies of his son’s ICSE exam answer sheets for six subjects was turned down. Kaushik’s father had applied for rechecking of his son’s papers, but CISCE norms only allow the verification of marks at a fee of Rs 4,000 for all papers. …

RTITop law officer out of RTI ambit: HC

Telegraphindia.com
New Delhi, Feb. 3 (PTI): The office of the attorney-general of India does not come under the Right to Information Act as it is not a “public authority”, Delhi High Court ruled today.
The verdict by a division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath came on an appeal by the Centre challenging the decision of a single judge who had held that the AG’s office is a public authority under the ambit of the transparency law. …

More than 60 per cent CIC orders flawed: study

Dnaindia.com 
Mon, 30 Jan 2017
It was conducted by the Research, Assessment and Group (RAAG) and Satark Nagrik Sangathan, which look after the implementation of RTI
More than 60 percent of the central information commission (CIC) orders are “deficient” in terms of “recording critical facts” and “grounds for decision of the IC and the basis thereof.” …

CIC has no power to order jail authorities reg compensation: HC

Business-standard.com 
January 27, 2017
Central Information Commission (CIC) does not have the power to direct Tihar Jail to develop a system of compensating inmates who have been incarcerated beyond their period of sentence, Delhi High Court has held.  …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Central Information Commission order on Narendra Modi degree stayed by Delhi HC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jan 24, 2017
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Monday stayed till April 27 a Central Information Commission order asking Delhi University to allow inspection of records of all students who cleared BA examination in 1978, which includes prime minister Narendra Modi. …

Man uses RTI to prove his wife is employed

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Dec 24, 2016
LUCKNOW: Settling family disputes through RTI is a trend not new to UP State Information Commission (UPSIC). The latest to have reached the commission is from Meerut. The case pertains to a harried husband.
The man has filed a complaint in the commission and said he is being harassed by his wife. He has urged to provide him the information he has sought under the Right to Information (RTI). The information, he said, if given, would be of extreme help. …

CIC directs Railway Board to amend the rules for copying charges under RTI

Dec 14, 2016 : Dtf.in
New Delhi. The Central Information Commission has, on December 5, directed the Railway Board to stop charging Rs 750 per page for photocopying and follow the provisions of the RTI Act and Rules. Under the RTI Act, Rs. two per page has been fixed for photocopying. The appellant did not participate in the hearing.
The respondent stated that the appellant was asked to deposit copying fee Rs. 750/- for reservation chart as per Railway Rules but the appellant did not respond to that letter. The appellant filed 2nd appeal before the CIC.
Hon’ble CIC, in its order, directed the Railway Board to take steps to amend the rules regarding copying charges suitably to bring them in conformity with the letter and spirit of the RTI Act and Rules.

Officials accused of sexual harassment entitled to get copy of complaint

Disclose details of corrupt officials: Info panel to govt

Order issued on an application by Rohtak-based RTI activist 
Tribuneindia.com
Rohtak, December 5, 2016
Efforts of a Rohtak-based RTI activist to get details about the involvement of IAS, HCS, IPS and HPS officers in corruption cases finally seem to be bearing fruit.
The Haryana government as well as the State Information Commission had earlier refused to furnish the information sought by the applicant under the RTI Act. The applicant then moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which directed the commission to reconsider the matter. …

Right of retired employee & RTI

Thehansindia.com
Nov 29,2016
Two issues show the inefficiency in the system– non-filling of the vacancies and not giving pension and other benefits on the day of retirement. …

Citizens To File Information Commission Complaints, Appeals Online

Ndtv.com
November 04, 2016
New Delhi:  Right To Information or RTI applicants will soon be able to file complaints and appeals with Central Information Commission (CIC) online.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the two-day annual convention of the CIC on Monday, during which he will launch the ‘e-Court’ system – aimed at enabling speedy disposal of appeals and complaints by using digital technology. …

Air Show
Representational Photo (Pixabay Image)

Make public report on aviator death: CIC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sep 28, 2016
NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Navy to make public the inquiry report on the death of Lt Cdr Rahul Nair during a 2010 air show even as it pulled up officials for their “cavalier attitude”. In a strongly worded order, information commissioner D P Sinha said that it appeared as if an “attempt has been made to protect the interest of the defaulters and that certainly does not out-weigh the interest of the soldier who lost his life in such an accident”. …

Haryana Information Commission rules that Students can seek Photocopies of Answer Sheets

Amit University Students awaken patriotic poems of the Nation (Image Courtesy: Amity.edu)
Amity University Students awaken patriotic poems of the Nation (Image Courtesy: Amity.edu)

Enaindia.in 
New Delhi. August 12 (ENA). State Information Commission of Haryana has ruled that students seeking photocopies of their answer sheets under the Right to Information (RTI) Act cannot be denied permission by universities.

According to the ruling of the information commission even if university rules don’t permit the distribution of photocopies of answer sheets to students on demand, the rules under the RTI Act supersedes any university rule thereby giving students the right to demand and get photocopies of their answer sheets. …

Compensation to be paid by teacher, school if kids subjected to corporal punishment 

    School should be made a place of pleasant learning for kids, free from assaults and humiliations.
School should be made a place of pleasant learning for kids, free from assaults and humiliations. (Pixabay Image)

July 25, 2016 : Dtf.in

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has on last Friday held that the teacher and the school also shall be liable to pay compensation to the injured child according to law.
As per the order of the Information Commissioner, the denial of information by the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) was unwarranted.
The information was denied by the CPIO on the ground that it was third party information. The applicant submitted that he needed the information so that his daughter could secure custody of children in her marital dispute against husband Yagya Dutt Arya. The Information Commissioner has decided that “Even if Section 8(1)(j) is assumed to be invoked, the school should have considered that imposing corporal punishment on children is against several laws including Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, is a public wrong, its disclosure has relationship with public activity and it will be in public interest, the revelation of which would not cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual, besides larger public interest is involved in disclosure only.”
The Information Commissioner has, inter alia, passed the following order:-

“28. The teacher and the school also shall be liable to pay compensation to the injured child according to law. The Commission directs the KVS, headquarters and regional directors to voluntarily disclose whether they have framed policy as advised by the NCPCR to eliminate the corporal punishment in their schools, details of incidents of corporal punishments and action taken against liable teachers, compensation to be paid and amount of compensation paid to the victims etc, every year, beginning with 2015-16, within three months. The Commission recommends that each school shall publish such a report every year, which shall be the model for other school. It will go a long way in making school a place of pleasant learning free from assaults and humiliations. The KVS also should have a policy of paying some amount as compensation to the victim children and that amount should be deducted from the salary of liable teacher. The public authority is directed to collect details of teachers punished for corporal assaults on children including the case of Mr. Yagya Dutt Arya. The Commission directs the KVS headquarters to circulate copy of this order to all schools and regional offices. Disposed of.”

See CIC Order dated 22.07.2016 >>> CIC Decision dated 22.07.2016 on Appeal filed by Bhramanand Mishra Vs. PIO, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan, Lucknow
[Sections 4(1)(a) & 8(1)(j); RTE Act, JJ Act; Art. 21,21A & 39(e) of the Constitution of India; Inquiry Report, School] >>> CIC Decisions

High Court seeks Centre’s reply on notary’s plea against CIC order

India.com
In the interim, the court extended till the next date the time for payment of the first installment of the penalty and also stayed CIC’s direction to the notary to pay Rs 1000 as compensation to RTI applicant Nand Lal.
July 7, 2016
New Delhi, Jul 7 : Delhi High Court has sought the Centre’s response on a notary’s plea challenging Central Information Commission’s (CIC) order declaring her to be a deemed Public Information Officer (PIO) and imposing a fine of Rs 25,000 for not furnishing records sought under RTI. Apart from the Centre, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva also issued notice to the RTI applicant, who had under the Right to Information Act (RTI) sought details of attestations made by the notary from 2008 to 2013, seeking his reply by the next date of hearing on July 13. In the interim, the court extended till the next date the time for payment of the first installment of the penalty and also stayed CIC’s direction to the notary to pay Rs 1000 as compensation to RTI applicant Nand Lal. …

Report CardGovt asks all departments to upload report cards on websites every month

Hindustantimes.com
Jun 27, 2016
This small step could go a long way to raise the transparency bar.
The Modi government has told all central departments to go public with a report card of its activities and achievements on a monthly basis. …

Training on RTIComing soon: IGNOU to offer diploma course on Right to Information

Hindustantimes.com
Jun 11, 2016
In order to encourage people to understand societal relevance of the Right to Information Act and its nuances, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has decided to introduce certificate and diploma courses in the subject. …

Right to Information

Private colleges, schools under RTI ambit

Tribuneindia.com
Shimla, June 9, 2016
To ensure transparency in the functioning of private educational institutions, the government has decided to bring all private colleges, senior secondary and high schools under the RTI Act 2005 with immediate effect. However, the Act will not cover medical and nursing colleges and schools affiliated to the CBSE and the ICSE. …

CIC wants RTI activist punished for misuse of law

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 21, 2016
NEW DELHI: In an unusual move, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has recommended action against an RTI applicant for misusing the law to harass his colleagues in a Delhi college.

CIC bans appearance of lawyer, HC stays order

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 3, 2016
New Delhi, Apr 3 () An Information Commissioner has “banned” the appearance of a counsel for the External Affairs Ministry before his bench on the ground that he was not discharging his duties as an advocate, an order which has been stayed by the Delhi High Court. …

Central Information Commission does away with need of hard copies for online appeals

Zeenews.india.com  
March 15, 2016
New Delhi: In a major procedural change, the Central Information Commission has done away with the mandatory provision of sending signed hard copy of appeals through post even though the appellant approached it online. …

Don’t disclose students’ information without consulting parents: CIC    

Zeenews.india.com
In a warning to the RTI applicant, Acharyulu said, “The Commission records its admonition against the appellant for misuse of RTI against the school child and warns him against such misuse in future.
January 26, 2016
The Commission admonished the principal of RD Public School and Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of Directorate of Education (DoE) of Delhi government for disclosing information about a student to his relatives who had a dispute with the student’s family. …

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CONSUMER FORUM: SBI, PNB asked to pay compensation to customer; Consumer forum to SBI: Return land documents …

SBI, PNB asked to pay compensation to customer
Consumer forum to SBI: Return land documents
Forum asks railways to pay Rs 15,000 for toilet without water
Shops Cannot Say ‘VAT Extra’ On Items Sold On Discount, Rules Consumer Body
Forum asks local body to compensate for lost car
More …

Go to NEWS.

LANDMARK JUDGEMENT – Sec. 13(2)(a) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 – Supreme Court has ruled that a party will not get more than 45 days for replying to a complaint in a consumer forum. The court said this period cannot be extended under any circumstances. – SC Judgment dated 04.12.2015 – New India Assurance Co. Ltd. Vs. Hilli Multipurpose Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd. >>> Supreme Court Judgments

SBI, PNB asked to pay compensation to customer

Newsindianexpress.com 
09th September 2017
HYDERABAD: The case in which a nationalised bank was ordered to pay compensation to one of its customers after his cheque got encashed by someone else proves that even the cheque drop boxes in banks are not safe.The District Consumer Forum passed the order after a businessman found that his cheque was stolen and encashed by a miscreant.The negligence shown by State Bank of India (SBI) in failing to safeguard the drop box and Punjab National Bank (PNB) in recognising a forged cheque presented by the miscreant was taken up before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-III, Hyderabad, by the businessman. …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Consumer forum to SBI: Return land documents

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jul 14, 2017,
KOCHI: The state consumer forum has upheld the district consumer forum’s order directing the State Bank of India to return the land documents of a Muvattupuzha native as the consumer has already repaid the whole loan amount.
As per the complaint of Thomas, he took a Rs 4 lakh loan on August 31, 2005 which was supposed to be repaid in 60 installments of Rs 8,645 each. He paid back Rs 5.18 lakh by September 11, 2011. After the loan’s closure, he approached the bank for the title deed but the bank demanded Rs 34,020 in addition to the amount he had paid. …

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* Latest DOPT / CVC / RTI / MOF / CGHS / DPE Orders/Circulars
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* Consumer Rights – Act/Rules, Court/Consumer Forum Judgements & Other Information
* Vigilance Clearance
* Verification of SC/ST/OBC Caste Status or Claims of SCs, STs and OBCs

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Forum asks railways to pay Rs 15,000 for toilet without water

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Feb 27, 2017
CHENNAI: A consumers’ forum, pulling a switch on the railways’ train of thought regarding its “service motives and customer-centric attitude”, fined the state-owned organisation Rs 15,000 for the shoddy state of a toilet on one of its coaches. …

Shops Cannot Say ‘VAT Extra’ On Items Sold On Discount, Rules Consumer Body

Shopping Mall
Shopping Mall (Representational Photo)

Outlookindia.com 
Feb 03, 2017
The apex consumer body has ruled that shops can’t charge extra VAT on items sold on discount price, which is rebate on the MRP that includes all taxes and cess.
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has held that shops selling goods at 40% discount cannot charge VAT or any other duty on the discounted price as the rebate was on MRP, which includes all taxes and cess as per Section 2(d) of Consumer Goods Act, reported The Times of India. …

Consumer ForumForum asks local body to compensate for lost car

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jan 15, 2017
Nashik: The local consumer forum’s decision to hold parking facilitator Trimbak Municipal Council responsible for a lost vehicle may soon make institutions more responsible towards vehicles parks on their premises.
The decision is also likely to bring to fore the benefits of orderly parking of vehicles. The three-member forum stated in its order: “…since the vehicle was parked in the parking facility created by the council and a parking ticket was issued to the consumer, it becomes the responsibility of the facilitator till the owner returns. Hence we conclude that the council has to compensate for the value of the vehicle that has not been found till date.” …

Education not commodity, student not consumer: Consumer forum

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Jan 15, 2017
NEW DELHI: A youth’s plea against an institute for allegedly not providing him with an internship or job as promised at the time of admission, has been rejected by a consumer forum here which observed that “education is not a commodity”.
A Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (West) rejected the plea of the youth who sought refund of the Rs 3.52 lakh fee paid by him to pursue PG Diploma in Event Management and Public Relations at a private institute here. …

Consumer forum asks bank to compensate Mumbai doctor for losing her cheque of Rs 93,299

Mid-day.com
19-Dec-2016
District Consumer Forum directs bank to compensate doctor for losing her cheque, because of which she lost an opportunity to rent a place for her clinic
A city doctor who lost nearly Rs 90,000 a couple of years ago due to the carelessness of the bank where she had deposited the cheque has finally got relief. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum in Central Mumbai has directed Bank of India’s Parel branch to compensate Dr Urmila Dhupkar, a Parel resident, for losing her cheque of Rs 93,299, because of which she lost the opportunity to rent a place for opening her clinic. …    

Consumer ForumSupreme Court to lay down guidelines for post-operative medical care

Hindustanteims.com 
Aug 19, 2016
In the wake of increasing numbers of medical negligence complaints against private hospitals, the Supreme Court has decided to lay down guidelines to be followed during operations and post-operative care. A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra issued notices to the Centre, Medical Council of India and all state health secretaries after it was told no proper care is taken by hospital staff to save critically ill patients after they are operated. …

Consumer forum directs firm to pay Rs13.5 lakh to widow

Tribuneindia.com
Amritsar, July 10, 2016
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed a private insurance company to pay Rs.13,50,000 to the widow of a person, who died eight days after purchasing the policy. …

Indian currency
(Pixabay Image)

Man gets Rs 100 per day compensation for banks’ deficient

Hindustanteims.com
Jun 14, 2016
A consumer court in Thane has ordered the Union Bank of India branch at Dombivali and Punjab National Bank at Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh to pay a compensation of Rs 100 per day from June 7, 2014 to a complainant for deficiency in services. …

Social Media (Pixabay Image)
Social Media (Pixabay Image)

Consumer complaint? Courts aside, social media’s the new activism forum

Hindustantimes.com  
Apr 18, 2016
The best bet for a swift response over a faulty product or service is to drag it to social media — the people’s court in this digital age — and share it extensively and force the brand to take notice. …

Consumer forum slaps Southern Railway with Rs 30,000 fine 

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 15, 2016
CHENNAI: A consumer forum in Chennai has slapped Southern Railway with a fine of Rs 30,000 for wrongly fining a couple for ticketless travel.
Thendral Kumar and Saranya Thendral Kumar said they were travelling in a first class ticket in Rockfort Express from Trichy to Egmore on September 6, 2013. …

Train
Representational Image

Panel fines S Rly Rs15k for allowing unreserved travel   

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Mar 30, 2016  
Chennai: A consumer forum has slapped Southern Railway with a fine of Rs 15,000 for allowing unreserved passengers to travel by a reserved coach. A Srinivasan of Hasthinapuram said he and his wife – both senior citizens – were travelling by the Sanghamaitra Express from Bengaluru to Chennai Central in a sleeper class coach on February 24, 2015. …

Food Tray
Representative Image

Failure to provide veg food trays to 2 children costs Railway Rs 15,000   

Indianexpress.com   
March 07, 2016
Jagjit Singh, 47, a resident of Mohali, was travelling along with his family.
Not providing vegetarian food trays to two children travelling by Kalka Shatabdi has cost the Northern Railway as the consumer court has directed it to pay a compensation of Rs 15,000, including the cost of litigation, to the complainant….

Running Train
(Pixabay Image)

Pay Rs 64,000 to woman robbed on train to Vapi, Mumbai consumer forum tells Western Railway   

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jan 19, 2016
MUMBAI: In a rare instance, a consumer forum has ordered the Western Railway to pay a compensation of Rs 64,000 to a Valsad woman and her four-year-old son after they were robbed at knifepoint in the first-class compartment of the Vapi passenger train as it left Bandra station in 2014. …

Can’t give beyond 45 days for replying to complaint in consumer cases: Supreme Court   

Indianexpress.com
December 9, 2015
On receiving the complaint, the court said, the opposite party is required to be given notice directing him to give his version within 30 days.
In what will help speed up decisions in consumer cases, Supreme Court has ruled that a party will not get more than 45 days for replying to a complaint in a consumer forum. …
More: LANDMARK JUDGEMENT – Sec. 13(2)(a) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 – Supreme Court has ruled that a party will not get more than 45 days for replying to a complaint in a consumer forum. The court said this period cannot be extended under any circumstances. – SC Judgment dated 04.12.2015 – New India Assurance Co. Ltd. Vs. Hilli Multipurpose Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd.  >>> Supreme Court Judgments

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DIVORCE/MAINTENANCE: 6-month ‘cooling off’ period for granting divorce can be waived: SC …

DIVORCE/MAINTENANCE NEWS

6-month ‘cooling off’ period for granting divorce can be waived: SC
Supreme Court bars Triple Talaq for six months. Here’s a 11-point primer
Man can’t seek divorce over wife’s desire for bed tea: HC
Separated at 21 months, SC gives girl’s custody to mother
Delhi High court sets aside ‘mechanical’ award of maintenance to wife
More …

Go to NEWS.

RECENT JUDGMENTS 

* Consideration for promotion a fundamental right. – SC Judgment dated 09.01.2014 – Major General H.M. Singh, VSM Vs. Union of India and Anr.
* The charge sheet/charge memo having not been approved by the disciplinary authority was non est in the eye of law – SC Judgment dated 05.09.2013 – Union of India & Ors. Vs. B.V. Gopinath
* The Court or police/CBI cannot impound a passport. – SC Judgment dated 24.01.2008 – Suresh Nanda Vs. C.B.I.

Heading Towards Divorce
Heading Towards Divorce (Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

6-month ‘cooling off’ period for granting divorce can be waived: SC

Timesofndia.indiatimes.com
Sep 13, 2017
NEW DELHI: A Hindu married couple may not need to wait six months for a separation order in the case of mutual consent and the marriage can be legally terminated in just a week as the Supreme Court on Tuesday held that the “cooling off” period in not mandatory and can be waived off.
The court ruled that the stipulation under the Hindu Marriage Act for a six-month wait could be done away with if all efforts for mediation and conciliation intended to reunite the parties had failed. The waiving off can be considered if the parties had already lived separately for at least a year. In such situations, the court could take a view that delay in proceedings will only prolong subsequent resettlement. …

Supreme Court bars Triple Talaq for six months. Here’s a 11-point primer

economictimes.indiatimes.com
Aug 22, 2017
A 5-judge Supreme Court bench has barred the controversial Triple Talaq practice, asking the Centre to bring legislation. The apex court put a six-month stay on the practice, directing Parliament to enact a law within the given time period.
After reading separate judgments, the bench ruled in 3:2 majority that Triple Talaq was void and illegal and ‘unconstitutional’. SC referred to the abolition of Triple Talalq in Islamic countries and asked why can’t India get rid of it. …

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Man can’t seek divorce over wife’s desire for bed tea: HC

Deccanherald.com
November 6, 2016
A man cannot claim cruelty and seek divorce from his wife for asking him to serve her tea in bed and over her habit of rising late, the Delhi High Court has said.
This can be called laziness which does not constitute cruelty, the court said. It also held that the wife’s denial of sex during pregnancy cannot be the ground for divorce. …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Separated at 21 months, SC gives girl’s custody to mother

India.com
February 17, 2017
New Delhi, Feb 17 (PTI) An eight-year old girl was united with her mother after over six years by the Supreme Court, which said it was not possible for the child to comprehend the comfort of maternal love while staying with the father.
The girl was separated from her mother when she was only 21 months old after her parents separated due to matrimonial discord, with the father getting the infant’s custody. …

Delhi High court sets aside ‘mechanical’ award of maintenance to wife

Indianexpress.com
The HC noted that the family court “casually” calculated the annual income of the husband from 2012 to 2016 on the basis of the Dirham to Rupee conversion rate of 2016 and not the earlier years.
January 29, 2017
Finding fault with the “mechanical” manner in which a family court computed the monthly maintenance to be paid to a woman by her Dubai-based husband, Delhi High Court has set aside the decision saying the man’s cost of living there and the wife’s expected expenses here were overlooked. A bench of justices Pradeep Nandrajog and Yogesh Khanna also said the family court “casually” calculated the annual income of the husband for the years 2012 to 2016 on the basis of the Dirham to Rupee conversion rate of 2016 and not the earlier years. …

Hindus get 90 days to appeal family court divorce decree

Timesofndia.indiatimes.com
Dec 8, 2016
MUMBAI: A warring Hindu couple now has 90 days, not 30, to file an appeal against a divorce decree granted by a family court, a full bench of the Bombay high court has held. …

Man can seek wife’s test to show they never had sex: Bombay HC

Timesofndia.indiatimes.com 
Sep 10, 2016
MUMBAI: Can a family court direct a wife to be medically examined to enable the husband to prove his claim of non-consummation of marriage? Certainly, said the Bombay high court as it upheld an order passed this July by the Mumbai family court in a divorce petition filed in 2011 on grounds of non-consummation. …

divorce/maintenanceIf couple wants divorce, courts cannot ask for reasons, says HC

Timesofndia.indiatimes.com
Aug 11, 2016
CHENNAI: If a married couple wants divorce by mutual consent, it is not a court’s business+ to deny them judicial separation by insisting on knowing the reason for their decision, the Madras high court has said.
Noting that a court could not act like a fact-finding authority, a division of Justice K K Sasidharan and Justice N Gokuldas said: “In case the marriage is a failure and the parties wanted to put an end to the marital bond, the court should respect the sentiments and grant divorce. It is not the intention of the legislature to deny divorce in spite of the parties taking a conscious decision to part ways.”

Delhi court orders man to pay Rs 35,000 as monthly maintenance to estranged wife   

Dnaindia.com 
Apr 03, 2016
A man, accused in a domestic violence case, has been ordered to pay a monthly maintenance of Rs 35,000 to his estranged wife, with a Delhi court dismissing his appeal saying the woman is entitled to live the status she was enjoying before parting ways. …

Weird reasons cited by couples for divorce   

Timesofndia.indiatimes.com
Dec 21, 2015
Last week, a Noida woman filed a complaint against her husband after he sent her a talaq over email for being “too dark-skinned”. …

Divorce on WhatsAppWhatsApp (Pixabay Image)

After divorce on WhatsApp, Kerala woman pleads for help

Oneindia.com
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 11: Her husband divorced her using the messaging app WhatsApp. But she did not know anything about his whereabouts. …

Gavel
(Pixabay Image)

No alimony if woman divorced over adultery, HC rules    Timesofndia.indiatimes.com
Aug 17, 2015
MADURAI: A woman divorced on the ground of adultery cannot claim maintenance from her ex-husband, the Madras high court has ruled. …

SC: Right to maintenance of a wife absolute, Section 125 of CrPC applicable on divorced women   Timesofndia.indiatimes.com
Apr 7, 2015
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday said the right to maintenance of a wife was absolute and no exceptions could be made, ruling that Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which embodies this rule, would apply to divorced Muslim women as well. …

Qualified woman can’t claim maintenance: Court   Timesofndia.indiatimes.com
Mar 8, 2015 MUMBAI: A family court has observed that a well-qualified woman cannot claim maintenance from her husband. …

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RTI: No Absolute Exemption To The CBI From RTI Act: Delhi High Court; Information commission says MGN Trust a public authority; Bailable warrants against principal …

RTI NEWS

No Absolute Exemption To The CBI From RTI Act: Delhi High Court
Information commission says MGN Trust a public authority
Bailable warrants against principal
Amount charged after delaying the information to be returned
More …

Go to NEWS.

RECENT DECISIONS/POSTS

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

No Absolute Exemption To The CBI From RTI Act: Delhi High Court

Sept 21, 2017 : Dtf.in
New Delhi: In a landmark judgment, the Delhi High Court has held that the CBI cannot claim absolute exemption from disclosing information pertaining to allegations of corruption and human rights violations held by it under the RTI Act.
It was the case of the petitioner (CBI) that CBI is included in the second schedule to the Right to Information Act, 2005 and, by virtue of section 24(1) of the Act, is exempt from the purview of the Act. Under Section 24, the provisions of RTI Act will not apply on intelligence and security organisations, which also include Intelligence Bureau (IB), Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate.
The Act however clearly states that the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violation will not fall under the exemption given to these organisations under Section 24 of the RTI Act.
The information pertaining to corruption in several top offices of the country, sought by RTI Activist CJ Karira, was denied by the CBI on the ground that it is exempted from the RTI Act.
The agency had challenged the CIC decision in the Delhi High Court. Hon’ble High Court has since rejected the argument of the agency and said the allegations of corruption do not attract blanket exemption given to the agency in Section 24.
Hon’ble High Court has held as under:-
“The respondent who is present in Court states that the information sought by him has become stale and, he be permitted to file a fresh application under the Act. Plainly, the respondent is not precluded from filing an application before the petitioner for information relating to allegations of corruption or human rights violation. In the event such application is filed, the petitioner would examine the same. Although, it would not be open for the petitioner to claim that information relating to allegations of corruption in other organisation is exempt from disclosure, however, the petitioner would be at liberty to examine whether the information sought by the petitioner is exempt under any of the clauses of Section 8(1) of the Act.”
Hon’ble High Court has also upheld the cost put by the Central Information Commission to the CBI.
More: Go to the relevant page, containing copy of Delhi High Court’s Judgment dated 07.09.2017 >>> High Court Judgments

Information commission says MGN Trust a public authority

Tribuneindia.com
September 20, 2017
In a case filed with it in May 2015, the Punjab Information Commission (PIC) has found that the MGN Trust is spending 95 per cent of the grants received from the state government — directly and indirectly — on giving salary to its staff.
It also said the prime land on which various institutions of the MGN Trust were running had been allotted on a nominal lease. …

Bailable warrants against principal

Tribuneindia.com
September 20, 2017
The State Information Commission has asked the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, to issue bailable warrants against the principal-cum-Public Information Officer, Government Senior Secondary School, Alamgir, so that she should appear before the Commission to represent her case personally. Besides, a show-cause notice under Section 20 (1) of the RTI Act has been issued to her as to why penalty should not be imposed on her for wilful delay/denial in supplying information to an RTI applicant and why the compensation be not awarded to the appellant under the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005. …

RTIAmount charged after delaying the information to be returned

Sep 16, 2017 : Dtf.in
Information regarding the number of outsider postmen at Jalgaon HO and since when they had been discharging their duties along with their names and other particulars, was sought by an information seeker under the Right to Information Act, 2005. CPIO provided point-wise information 25.02.2015. FAA vide his order stated that information on record be supplied within the stipulated period. Being dissatisfied by the response received, the appellant approached this Commission.
The CIC on May 29, 2017 ordered, inter alia, as under:-
“It is wrong to collect huge amount after delaying the response by two months. As per law they cannot charge if they have delayed the response beyond one month. Hence the Commission directs the respondent authority to provide complete information after certifying the documents and return Rs.7,096 to the appellant.”
More: CIC Decision dated 14.09.2017 on the Appeal filed by Shri R.B. Patil Vs. PIO, Department of Posts >>> CIC Decisions

Right to InformationService Details Of Employees Amounts To ‘Personal Information’ under the RTI Act: SC

Sep 01, 2017 : Dtf.in
The Supreme Court has held that service details of employees, being personal in nature, was exempt from being disclosed under Section 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information Act, 2005. Such details cannot be provided unless there is involvement of any larger public interest.
The Hon’ble Supreme Court has held as under:-
“14)  … … It is for the reasons that, firstly, the information sought by respondent No.1 of individual employees working in the Bank was personal in nature; secondly, it was exempted from being disclosed under Section 8(j) of the Act and lastly, neither respondent No.1 disclosed any public interest much less larger public interest involved in seeking such information of the individual employee and nor any finding was recorded by the Central Information Commission and the High Court as to the involvement of any larger public interest in supplying such information to respondent No.1.
15)   It is for these reasons, we are of the considered view that the application made by respondent No.1 under Section 6 of the Act was wholly misconceived and was, therefore, rightly rejected by the Public Information Officer and Chief Public Information
Officer whereas wrongly allowed by the Central Information Commission and the High Court.
16)   In this view of the matter, we allow the appeal … “
More: SC Judgment dated 31.08.2017 – Canara Bank Rep. by its Deputy Gen. Manager Vs. C.S. Shyam & Anr. >>> Supreme Court Judgements

Service LawHigh Court tells government to disclose IB report to IFS officer

Hindustantimes.com
Aug 24, 2017
The Delhi high court on Wednesday upheld a CIC order directing the Centre to give IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi a copy of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) report regarding alleged harassment and false cases filed against the whistle-blower for exposing graft during his tenure as forest officer in Haryana.
The court dismissed the IB’s plea challenging Chief Information Commission’s (CIC) April 2016 order directing to provide a copy of the report in relation to the alleged harassment, human rights violation, and false cases filed against Chaturvedi. …

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RTICIC orders Madras High Court to publish impunged orders on website

Indiaexpress.com
August 17, 2017
The Central Information Commission has directed the Madras High Court registry to upload impugned orders of lower courts and tribunals on its website in larger public interest.
Chief Information Commissioner R K Mathur said the disclosures would help the general public, litigants and stakeholders link the orders of the High Court with impugned or challenged orders. …

RTI61 per cent dip in penalties imposed by CIC: Govt

India.com
July 19, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) The number of penalties imposed by the Central Information Commission have reduced by 61 per cent between 2013-14 and 2015-16.
“In so far the Central Information Commission (CIC) is concerned, penalty was imposed in 138 number of cases in the year 2013-14, 44 cases in 2014-15 and 54 cases in 2015-16. No data is centrally maintained for state information commissions,” Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh today said in the Lok Sabha. …

RTIRTI would be discarded if applicant dies: Centre

Aisanage.com
Jul 12, 2017,
Mumbai: The Centre’s new set of draft rules for Right To Information (RTI) Act, which makes it tougher for applicants to seek information under the Act, has become controversial. One of the major provisions that is being opposed by all, says that the application would be discarded if the applicant dies. RTI activists across the country have been fighting to remove this particular provision, which according to them would jeopardise the lives of the applicants. There have been allegations that the government has tried to dilute the RTI Act ever since its inception. …

Right to Information or Right to Intimidation?

Hindustantimes.com
Jul 08, 2017
Earlier this year the government proposed some changes to the RTI rules, which has caused concern to activists. Once passed, the RTI Rules 2017 will replace the RTI Rules 2012. The proposed rules were put out on the DoPT website for comments, and many say they have written to the department with their suggestions. Two of the most worrying changes in the rules are the provisions that proceedings pending before the commission shall abate on the death of the appellant and that the Commission may allow an appellant to withdraw an appeal if the matter has not been finally heard or a decision or order not been pronounced already by the Commission. (HT) …

RTIWhy can’t Governor’s office come under RTI ambit: SC

India.com
July 9, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) Why can’t the office of high constitutional functionaries like Governor come under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Supreme Court asked today.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy raised the question during the hearing of a plea file by the Centre challenging a 2011 order of Bombay High Court directing the disclosure of Governor’s report given to the President about the political situation in Goa in 2007. …

Central Information Commission directs govt to disclose data of officers facing corruption charges

Firstpost.com
Jul, 02 2017
New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the government to proactively put in the public domain data about officials facing corruption cases in each department.
The transparency watchdog has directed the Department of Personnel and Training to ensure that “numerical” data of government officials facing corruption charges should be brought out in public domain but not their names. …

Central Information Commission directs govt to disclose data of officers facing corruption charges

Firstpost.com
Jul, 02 2017
New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the government to proactively put in the public domain data about officials facing corruption cases in each department. 
The transparency watchdog has directed the Department of Personnel and Training to ensure that “numerical” data of government officials facing corruption charges should be brought out in public domain but not their names. …

Why can’t Governor’s office come under RTI ambit: SC

India.com
July 9, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) Why can’t the office of high constitutional functionaries like Governor come under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Supreme Court asked today.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy raised the question during the hearing of a plea file by the Centre challenging a 2011 order of Bombay High Court directing the disclosure of Governor’s report given to the President about the political situation in Goa in 2007. …

RTICIC returns RTI plea written in Gujarati

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jun 5, 2017
Ahmedabad: Central Information Commissioner (CIC) has returned a plea under Right to Information (RTI) Act filed by a city-based activist seeking details of black money seized after demonetization. The office has said it has returned the application as it was in Gujarati and not written in English or Hindi. …

RTIDraft RTI rules: Clause allowing appeals to be withdrawn puts applicants at risk, warn activists

Scroll.in
Apr 04, 2017
After five years, the Union government has decided to update the rules for the implementation of the Right to Information Act, which was passed by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime in 2005 to provide a transparent mechanism for citizens to access information.

The Department of Personnel and Training, the nodal department enforcing the Act, put up the draft rules on its website last week, seeking feedback from the public by April 15. The idea behind the revamp of the rules is to simplify the process of obtaining information. However, certain changes proposed in the new draft rules have not gone down well with transparency activists, who fear it may end up as a tool to intimidate them and discourage citizens from using the law. …

RTICIC directed Chief Passport Officer to lay down clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report

March 13, .2017 : Dtf.in
New Delhi. The Chief Passport Officer has been directed by the Hon’ble CIC, inter alia, to lay down clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report. The Hon’ble CIC’s order was passed while deciding the second appeal from an RTI applicant who had applied for issuance of a new passport.
The respondent participated in the hearing through counsel in person. The appellant did not participate in the hearing.
In the order passed on March 08, 2017, the respondent was directed to provide to the appellant the information in context of his RTI application within 30 days of the said order. The Respondent CPIO was directed to show cause why action should not be taken against them for contravening the provisions of the RTI Act including not giving correct information, within 30 days of the said order. Further, the Chief Passport Officer was “directed to issue directions to all offices for:
(i) Invariably giving point-wise replies to RTI application.
(ii) Specific deficient documents should be clearly mentioned.
(iii) If an adverse police report is received, its copy should be sent to applicant immediately for his comments.
(iv) Clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report should be laid down.” The time granted for compliance is “within 30 days”.

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RTIInformation on consumer amenities must be given under RTI: CIC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Mar 9, 2017
CHENNAI: Data on the number of toilets, water supply, electricity and number of counters provided for transactions of receipts and withdrawals in a bank branch cannot be denied under the Right to Information Act.
This is the gist of a ruling by the Central Information Commission (CIC) recently, in response to an RTI petition filed by Chennai-based consumer activist, T Sadagopan, who, in 2015 had filed an RTI petition with the Avadi branch of Bank of India (BoI). …

RTICooperative Banks within the purview of the RTI Act: Bombay High Court

March 3, 2017 : Dtf.in
It has been held by the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court that co-operative institutions “need to supply” information to any “public authority” established under the Cooperative Societies Act. The petitioners had sought exemption under the RTI Act, 2005.
In para 10 of their judgment dated February 13, 2017, in the case of Jalgaon Jillha Urban Cooperative Banks Association Ltd., Jalgaon Vs. State of Maharashtra & Ors., Hon’ble Bombay High Court has decided as under:-
“The provisions of the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act if read with the definition of information given in section 2(f) of the Act, it can be said that everything which is mentioned in the definition of information needs to be supplied  by the cooperative institution to the authority created under the Cooperative Societies Act. The definition of ‘public authority’ given in section 2(h) shows that such public authority can be created by any law made by the State Legislature. It is already observed that the officers like Register and his subordinate officers are appointed under the Cooperative Societies Act and they have the control over the aforesaid things. In view of these circumstances, the observations made by the Apex Court in the paragraphs already quoted can be used safely when the information is sought from the authority like Register or his subordinates under the Cooperative Societies Act. Thus, the reliefs claimed in the present petition cannot be granted as the reliefs can be used directly or indirectly by the cooperative institutions to deny the supply of the information. The circumstances that the other matters were allowed by this court, other Bench of this Court, cannot come in the way of giving present decision by this Court as the decision of the Supreme Court was not there when other matters were decided by this Court. This Court holds that no relief which is claimed in the present petition can be given to the petitioner. The previous interpretation made by this Court is not correct interpretation in view of the law laid down by the Apex Court. In the result, the petition stands dismissed.”

More: Cooperative Banks/Societies within the ambit of RTI Act –  Bombay HC Judgment dated 13.02.2017 – Jalgaon Jillha Urban Cooperative Banks Association Ltd., Jalgaon Vs. The State of Maharashtra & Others [Section 2(h)]

Housing societies bound by RTI Act, must share info: Court

The petitioner had argued before the court that cooperative institutions registered under the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960 cannot be treated as `public authority’ under sections 2(h) and 8 of the RTI Act
Economic Times
March 02, 2017
Cooperative institutions, including around 75,000 housing societies in the Mumbai metropolitan region, can no longer refuse to share records under the Right To Information (RTI) Act with the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court ruling that these establishments come under the purview of the transparency legislation. …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Delhi HC stays CIC fine on DU for rejecting RTI queries on PM, Irani

Indianexpress.com
February 21, 2017
The Delhi High Court today stayed three separate CIC orders imposing Rs 25,000 penalty on Delhi University’s public information officer for rejecting RTI applications seeking facts about the graduation degrees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva observed that the RTI applicants “wasted judicial time” by filing “frivolous” pleas before the Central Information Commission (CIC) for rejection of their applications on technical grounds, instead of addressing the deficiencies pointed out by the central public information officer (CPIO) of Delhi University (DU). …

RTIHC quashes CIC order asking BCD to give minutes of meetings

India.com
February 15, 2017
New Delhi, Feb 15 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has set aside a CIC order directing the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) to provide the minutes of all meetings held by it from April 2010 till March 2015 and its sources of income.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said the Central Information Commission (CIC) “fell in error” in issuing the direction to put all such information in public domain as the minutes of meetings would contain “confidential personal information and information received in fiduciary capacity”. …

Frivolous queries irk officials

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Feb 08, 2017
AURANGABAD: Several government and semi-government officials here said they have become familiar with some persons, who habitually file RTI applications. They claimed that a closer scrutiny of such applications would reveal that the whole purpose of filing the Right To Information pleas contravenes the purpose of the transparency Act. …

RTIStudents can now seek ICSE answer sheets, re-evaluation: Info panel

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Feb 6, 2017
MUMBAI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has brought the private Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) board under the purview of the RTI Act. The ruling came after the appellant’s request for copies of his son’s ICSE exam answer sheets for six subjects was turned down. Kaushik’s father had applied for rechecking of his son’s papers, but CISCE norms only allow the verification of marks at a fee of Rs 4,000 for all papers. …

RTITop law officer out of RTI ambit: HC

Telegraphindia.com
New Delhi, Feb. 3 (PTI): The office of the attorney-general of India does not come under the Right to Information Act as it is not a “public authority”, Delhi High Court ruled today.
The verdict by a division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath came on an appeal by the Centre challenging the decision of a single judge who had held that the AG’s office is a public authority under the ambit of the transparency law. …

More than 60 per cent CIC orders flawed: study

Dnaindia.com 
Mon, 30 Jan 2017
It was conducted by the Research, Assessment and Group (RAAG) and Satark Nagrik Sangathan, which look after the implementation of RTI
More than 60 percent of the central information commission (CIC) orders are “deficient” in terms of “recording critical facts” and “grounds for decision of the IC and the basis thereof.” …

CIC has no power to order jail authorities reg compensation: HC

Business-standard.com 
January 27, 2017
Central Information Commission (CIC) does not have the power to direct Tihar Jail to develop a system of compensating inmates who have been incarcerated beyond their period of sentence, Delhi High Court has held.  …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Central Information Commission order on Narendra Modi degree stayed by Delhi HC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jan 24, 2017
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Monday stayed till April 27 a Central Information Commission order asking Delhi University to allow inspection of records of all students who cleared BA examination in 1978, which includes prime minister Narendra Modi. …

Man uses RTI to prove his wife is employed

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Dec 24, 2016
LUCKNOW: Settling family disputes through RTI is a trend not new to UP State Information Commission (UPSIC). The latest to have reached the commission is from Meerut. The case pertains to a harried husband.
The man has filed a complaint in the commission and said he is being harassed by his wife. He has urged to provide him the information he has sought under the Right to Information (RTI). The information, he said, if given, would be of extreme help. …

CIC directs Railway Board to amend the rules for copying charges under RTI

Dec 14, 2016 : Dtf.in
New Delhi. The Central Information Commission has, on December 5, directed the Railway Board to stop charging Rs 750 per page for photocopying and follow the provisions of the RTI Act and Rules. Under the RTI Act, Rs. two per page has been fixed for photocopying. The appellant did not participate in the hearing.
The respondent stated that the appellant was asked to deposit copying fee Rs. 750/- for reservation chart as per Railway Rules but the appellant did not respond to that letter. The appellant filed 2nd appeal before the CIC.
Hon’ble CIC, in its order, directed the Railway Board to take steps to amend the rules regarding copying charges suitably to bring them in conformity with the letter and spirit of the RTI Act and Rules.

Officials accused of sexual harassment entitled to get copy of complaint

Disclose details of corrupt officials: Info panel to govt

Order issued on an application by Rohtak-based RTI activist 
Tribuneindia.com
Rohtak, December 5, 2016
Efforts of a Rohtak-based RTI activist to get details about the involvement of IAS, HCS, IPS and HPS officers in corruption cases finally seem to be bearing fruit.
The Haryana government as well as the State Information Commission had earlier refused to furnish the information sought by the applicant under the RTI Act. The applicant then moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which directed the commission to reconsider the matter. …

Right of retired employee & RTI

Thehansindia.com
Nov 29,2016
Two issues show the inefficiency in the system– non-filling of the vacancies and not giving pension and other benefits on the day of retirement. …

Citizens To File Information Commission Complaints, Appeals Online

Ndtv.com
November 04, 2016
New Delhi:  Right To Information or RTI applicants will soon be able to file complaints and appeals with Central Information Commission (CIC) online.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the two-day annual convention of the CIC on Monday, during which he will launch the ‘e-Court’ system – aimed at enabling speedy disposal of appeals and complaints by using digital technology. …

Air Show
Representational Photo (Pixabay Image)

Make public report on aviator death: CIC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sep 28, 2016
NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Navy to make public the inquiry report on the death of Lt Cdr Rahul Nair during a 2010 air show even as it pulled up officials for their “cavalier attitude”. In a strongly worded order, information commissioner D P Sinha said that it appeared as if an “attempt has been made to protect the interest of the defaulters and that certainly does not out-weigh the interest of the soldier who lost his life in such an accident”. …

Haryana Information Commission rules that Students can seek Photocopies of Answer Sheets

Amit University Students awaken patriotic poems of the Nation (Image Courtesy: Amity.edu)
Amity University Students awaken patriotic poems of the Nation (Image Courtesy: Amity.edu)

Enaindia.in 
New Delhi. August 12 (ENA). State Information Commission of Haryana has ruled that students seeking photocopies of their answer sheets under the Right to Information (RTI) Act cannot be denied permission by universities.

According to the ruling of the information commission even if university rules don’t permit the distribution of photocopies of answer sheets to students on demand, the rules under the RTI Act supersedes any university rule thereby giving students the right to demand and get photocopies of their answer sheets. …

Compensation to be paid by teacher, school if kids subjected to corporal punishment 

    School should be made a place of pleasant learning for kids, free from assaults and humiliations.
School should be made a place of pleasant learning for kids, free from assaults and humiliations. (Pixabay Image)

July 25, 2016 : Dtf.in

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has on last Friday held that the teacher and the school also shall be liable to pay compensation to the injured child according to law.
As per the order of the Information Commissioner, the denial of information by the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) was unwarranted.
The information was denied by the CPIO on the ground that it was third party information. The applicant submitted that he needed the information so that his daughter could secure custody of children in her marital dispute against husband Yagya Dutt Arya. The Information Commissioner has decided that “Even if Section 8(1)(j) is assumed to be invoked, the school should have considered that imposing corporal punishment on children is against several laws including Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, is a public wrong, its disclosure has relationship with public activity and it will be in public interest, the revelation of which would not cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual, besides larger public interest is involved in disclosure only.”
The Information Commissioner has, inter alia, passed the following order:-

“28. The teacher and the school also shall be liable to pay compensation to the injured child according to law. The Commission directs the KVS, headquarters and regional directors to voluntarily disclose whether they have framed policy as advised by the NCPCR to eliminate the corporal punishment in their schools, details of incidents of corporal punishments and action taken against liable teachers, compensation to be paid and amount of compensation paid to the victims etc, every year, beginning with 2015-16, within three months. The Commission recommends that each school shall publish such a report every year, which shall be the model for other school. It will go a long way in making school a place of pleasant learning free from assaults and humiliations. The KVS also should have a policy of paying some amount as compensation to the victim children and that amount should be deducted from the salary of liable teacher. The public authority is directed to collect details of teachers punished for corporal assaults on children including the case of Mr. Yagya Dutt Arya. The Commission directs the KVS headquarters to circulate copy of this order to all schools and regional offices. Disposed of.”

See CIC Order dated 22.07.2016 >>> CIC Decision dated 22.07.2016 on Appeal filed by Bhramanand Mishra Vs. PIO, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan, Lucknow
[Sections 4(1)(a) & 8(1)(j); RTE Act, JJ Act; Art. 21,21A & 39(e) of the Constitution of India; Inquiry Report, School] >>> CIC Decisions

High Court seeks Centre’s reply on notary’s plea against CIC order

India.com
In the interim, the court extended till the next date the time for payment of the first installment of the penalty and also stayed CIC’s direction to the notary to pay Rs 1000 as compensation to RTI applicant Nand Lal.
July 7, 2016
New Delhi, Jul 7 : Delhi High Court has sought the Centre’s response on a notary’s plea challenging Central Information Commission’s (CIC) order declaring her to be a deemed Public Information Officer (PIO) and imposing a fine of Rs 25,000 for not furnishing records sought under RTI. Apart from the Centre, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva also issued notice to the RTI applicant, who had under the Right to Information Act (RTI) sought details of attestations made by the notary from 2008 to 2013, seeking his reply by the next date of hearing on July 13. In the interim, the court extended till the next date the time for payment of the first installment of the penalty and also stayed CIC’s direction to the notary to pay Rs 1000 as compensation to RTI applicant Nand Lal. …

Report CardGovt asks all departments to upload report cards on websites every month

Hindustantimes.com
Jun 27, 2016
This small step could go a long way to raise the transparency bar.
The Modi government has told all central departments to go public with a report card of its activities and achievements on a monthly basis. …

Training on RTIComing soon: IGNOU to offer diploma course on Right to Information

Hindustantimes.com
Jun 11, 2016
In order to encourage people to understand societal relevance of the Right to Information Act and its nuances, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has decided to introduce certificate and diploma courses in the subject. …

Right to Information

Private colleges, schools under RTI ambit

Tribuneindia.com
Shimla, June 9, 2016
To ensure transparency in the functioning of private educational institutions, the government has decided to bring all private colleges, senior secondary and high schools under the RTI Act 2005 with immediate effect. However, the Act will not cover medical and nursing colleges and schools affiliated to the CBSE and the ICSE. …

CIC wants RTI activist punished for misuse of law

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 21, 2016
NEW DELHI: In an unusual move, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has recommended action against an RTI applicant for misusing the law to harass his colleagues in a Delhi college.

CIC bans appearance of lawyer, HC stays order

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 3, 2016
New Delhi, Apr 3 () An Information Commissioner has “banned” the appearance of a counsel for the External Affairs Ministry before his bench on the ground that he was not discharging his duties as an advocate, an order which has been stayed by the Delhi High Court. …

Central Information Commission does away with need of hard copies for online appeals

Zeenews.india.com  
March 15, 2016
New Delhi: In a major procedural change, the Central Information Commission has done away with the mandatory provision of sending signed hard copy of appeals through post even though the appellant approached it online. …

Don’t disclose students’ information without consulting parents: CIC    

Zeenews.india.com
In a warning to the RTI applicant, Acharyulu said, “The Commission records its admonition against the appellant for misuse of RTI against the school child and warns him against such misuse in future.
January 26, 2016
The Commission admonished the principal of RD Public School and Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of Directorate of Education (DoE) of Delhi government for disclosing information about a student to his relatives who had a dispute with the student’s family. …

Note:- It may be noted that the information in this website is subject to the Disclaimer of Dtf.in. If you have a complaint with respect to any content published in this website, it may kindly be brought to our notice for appropriate action to remove such content as early as possible or publish the latest/updated content/event, if any, at info[at]dtf.in.

RAILWAYS: Railways cuts down sleeping hours for passengers by an hour …

RAILWAYS NEWS

Railways cuts down sleeping hours for passengers by an hour
Thane: Passenger to get Rs 1 lakh for mental agony after theft in train
Railways to introduce surge pricing for Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto trains
Cancel your train tickets by just dialling 139
Now you can get railway tickets confirmed for emergency travel
More …

Go to NEWS.

Representational Photo
Representational Photo of Railway Platform

Railways cuts down sleeping hours for passengers by an hour

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com  
Sep 17, 2017
NEW DELHI: The Railways is trying to put an end to those tiresome quarrels that break out due to oversleeping passengers on the middle and lower berths by reducing official sleeping hours.
According to a circular issued by the railway board, the passengers in the reserved coaches can only sleep between 10 pm and 6 am to allow others to sit on the seats for the rest of the time. …

Thane: Passenger to get Rs 1 lakh for mental agony after theft in train

Indianexpress.com 
The complainant claimed Rs 4.72 lakh, besides Rs 5 lakh towards mental agony and Rs 50,000 litigation charges.
September 23, 2016
A consumer court in Thane has asked the Konkan Railway Corporation to pay Rs one lakh to a passenger for his mental suffering following theft of his belongings while travelling in a train in 2012. Unnikrishnan Nair, a resident of Mira Road, informed Thane Additional District Consumer Redressal Forum, Belapur, that while he was travelling along with his wife and son in Netravati Express from Tirussur to Thane on December 23, 2012, a thief allegedly snatched purse from his wife as the train was approaching Karwar railway station. …

You may like to click on any of the following links:-
* Latest DOPT/CVC/RTI/MOF/CGHS/DPE/RBI Circulars; News 
* Vigilance Clearance 
* Right to Information (RTI) – Rules/ Notifications/Circulars/Guidelines (Subject-Wise)
* Decisions of Central Information Commission – Section-Wise and Subject-Wise 
* CGHS Circulars/Empanelled Hospitals/Package Rates

Railways to introduce surge pricing for Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto trains

Indianexpress.com 
The fares will increase by 10 per cent with every 10 per cent of berths sold.
September 7, 2016
The Ministry of Railway on Wednesday said that it will introduce flexi fare pricing in its Rajdhani, Duronto and Shatabdi trains from September 9. The fares will increase by 10 per cent with every 10 per cent of berths sold. …

Indian Railway
Indian Railway (Dreamstime Image)

Cancel your train tickets by just dialling 139   

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com  
Apr 30, 2016
NEW DELHI: Railway passengers can now cancel their confirmed train tickets by just dialling 139.
A person has to dial 139 and give details such as PNR number and train number of the confirmed ticket to get it cancelled. …

Now you can get railway tickets confirmed for emergency travel

Railways mulling dynamic fares in reserved classes of all trains

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Nov 28, 2015
NEW DELHI: Railways is considering introduction of dynamic fare pricing for all reserved classes in all express and mail trains, similar to the mechanism followed by airlines. …

3-tier AC train fares dearer than 2-tier ones  

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
May 3, 2015
MUMBAI: Premium trains that run with dynamic fare pricing based on demand have strange “dynamics” that may make travel by 3-tier airconditioned (3A) coaches costlier compared to 2-tier AC (2A) ones and in some cases, even to air fares. …

IRCTC to offer baggage insurance for train passengers  

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 19, 2015
NEW DELHI: Aiming at providing passengers more facilities for booking tickets online, IRCTC is planning to offer a new service of ‘baggage insurance’ for them. …

Now, Railways to give ‘wake-up’ call  

Indianexpress.com
Apr 09, 2015
So you can’t sleep in a train journey worrying about missing your destination station?

Note:- It may be noted that the information in this website is subject to the Disclaimer of Dtf.in. If you have a complaint with respect to any content published in this website, it may kindly be brought to our notice for appropriate action to remove such content as early as possible or publish the latest/updated content/event, if any, at info[at]dtf.in.

RTI: Service Details Of Employees Amounts To ‘Personal Information’ under the RTI Act: SC …

RTI NEWS

Service Details Of Employees Amounts To ‘Personal Information’ under the RTI Act: SC
High Court tells government to disclose IB report to IFS officer
CIC orders Madras High Court to publish impunged orders on website
More …

Go to NEWS.

RECENT DECISIONS/POSTS

Right to InformationService Details Of Employees Amounts To ‘Personal Information’ under the RTI Act: SC

Sep 01, 2017 : Dtf.in
The Supreme Court has held that service details of employees, being personal in nature, was exempt from being disclosed under Section 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information Act, 2005. Such details cannot be provided unless there is involvement of any larger public interest.
The Hon’ble Supreme Court has held as under:-
“14)  … … It is for the reasons that, firstly, the information sought by respondent No.1 of individual employees working in the Bank was personal in nature; secondly, it was exempted from being disclosed under Section 8(j) of the Act and lastly, neither respondent No.1 disclosed any public interest much less larger public interest involved in seeking such information of the individual employee and nor any finding was recorded by the Central Information Commission and the High Court as to the involvement of any larger public interest in supplying such information to respondent No.1.
15)   It is for these reasons, we are of the considered view that the application made by respondent No.1 under Section 6 of the Act was wholly misconceived and was, therefore, rightly rejected by the Public Information Officer and Chief Public Information
Officer whereas wrongly allowed by the Central Information Commission and the High Court.
16)   In this view of the matter, we allow the appeal … “
More: SC Judgment dated 31.08.2017 – Canara Bank Rep. by its Deputy Gen. Manager Vs. C.S. Shyam & Anr. >>> Supreme Court Judgements

Service LawHigh Court tells government to disclose IB report to IFS officer

Hindustantimes.com
Aug 24, 2017
The Delhi high court on Wednesday upheld a CIC order directing the Centre to give IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi a copy of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) report regarding alleged harassment and false cases filed against the whistle-blower for exposing graft during his tenure as forest officer in Haryana.
The court dismissed the IB’s plea challenging Chief Information Commission’s (CIC) April 2016 order directing to provide a copy of the report in relation to the alleged harassment, human rights violation, and false cases filed against Chaturvedi. …

You may like to click on any of the following links:-
RTI Rules/Orders * RTI – Court Judgments * Latest DOPT/CVC/RTI/MOF/CGHS/DPE Orders/Circulars Latest Department of Personnel & Training (DOPT)/DPPW Orders/Circulars * Latest Ministry of Finance Orders/Circulars * Deptt. of Public Enterprises (DPE) Circulars  * Vigilance Clearance and Vigilance Clearance Certificate * Vigilance Related GOI/CVC  Orders/Circulars * Decisions of Central Information Commission – Section-Wise * CGHS Circulars/Empanelled Hospitals/Package Rates Reserve Bank of India (RBI) – Circulars & Master Circulars (Subject-Wise)

RTICIC orders Madras High Court to publish impunged orders on website

Indiaexpress.com
August 17, 2017
The Central Information Commission has directed the Madras High Court registry to upload impugned orders of lower courts and tribunals on its website in larger public interest.
Chief Information Commissioner R K Mathur said the disclosures would help the general public, litigants and stakeholders link the orders of the High Court with impugned or challenged orders. …

RTI61 per cent dip in penalties imposed by CIC: Govt

India.com
July 19, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) The number of penalties imposed by the Central Information Commission have reduced by 61 per cent between 2013-14 and 2015-16.
“In so far the Central Information Commission (CIC) is concerned, penalty was imposed in 138 number of cases in the year 2013-14, 44 cases in 2014-15 and 54 cases in 2015-16. No data is centrally maintained for state information commissions,” Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh today said in the Lok Sabha. …

RTIRTI would be discarded if applicant dies: Centre

Aisanage.com
Jul 12, 2017,
Mumbai: The Centre’s new set of draft rules for Right To Information (RTI) Act, which makes it tougher for applicants to seek information under the Act, has become controversial. One of the major provisions that is being opposed by all, says that the application would be discarded if the applicant dies. RTI activists across the country have been fighting to remove this particular provision, which according to them would jeopardise the lives of the applicants. There have been allegations that the government has tried to dilute the RTI Act ever since its inception. …

Right to Information or Right to Intimidation?

Hindustantimes.com
Jul 08, 2017
Earlier this year the government proposed some changes to the RTI rules, which has caused concern to activists. Once passed, the RTI Rules 2017 will replace the RTI Rules 2012. The proposed rules were put out on the DoPT website for comments, and many say they have written to the department with their suggestions. Two of the most worrying changes in the rules are the provisions that proceedings pending before the commission shall abate on the death of the appellant and that the Commission may allow an appellant to withdraw an appeal if the matter has not been finally heard or a decision or order not been pronounced already by the Commission. (HT) …

RTIWhy can’t Governor’s office come under RTI ambit: SC

India.com
July 9, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) Why can’t the office of high constitutional functionaries like Governor come under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Supreme Court asked today.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy raised the question during the hearing of a plea file by the Centre challenging a 2011 order of Bombay High Court directing the disclosure of Governor’s report given to the President about the political situation in Goa in 2007. …

Central Information Commission directs govt to disclose data of officers facing corruption charges

Firstpost.com
Jul, 02 2017
New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the government to proactively put in the public domain data about officials facing corruption cases in each department.
The transparency watchdog has directed the Department of Personnel and Training to ensure that “numerical” data of government officials facing corruption charges should be brought out in public domain but not their names. …

Central Information Commission directs govt to disclose data of officers facing corruption charges

Firstpost.com
Jul, 02 2017
New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the government to proactively put in the public domain data about officials facing corruption cases in each department. 
The transparency watchdog has directed the Department of Personnel and Training to ensure that “numerical” data of government officials facing corruption charges should be brought out in public domain but not their names. …

Why can’t Governor’s office come under RTI ambit: SC

India.com
July 9, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) Why can’t the office of high constitutional functionaries like Governor come under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Supreme Court asked today.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy raised the question during the hearing of a plea file by the Centre challenging a 2011 order of Bombay High Court directing the disclosure of Governor’s report given to the President about the political situation in Goa in 2007. …

RTICIC returns RTI plea written in Gujarati

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jun 5, 2017
Ahmedabad: Central Information Commissioner (CIC) has returned a plea under Right to Information (RTI) Act filed by a city-based activist seeking details of black money seized after demonetization. The office has said it has returned the application as it was in Gujarati and not written in English or Hindi. …

RTIDraft RTI rules: Clause allowing appeals to be withdrawn puts applicants at risk, warn activists

Scroll.in
Apr 04, 2017
After five years, the Union government has decided to update the rules for the implementation of the Right to Information Act, which was passed by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime in 2005 to provide a transparent mechanism for citizens to access information.

The Department of Personnel and Training, the nodal department enforcing the Act, put up the draft rules on its website last week, seeking feedback from the public by April 15. The idea behind the revamp of the rules is to simplify the process of obtaining information. However, certain changes proposed in the new draft rules have not gone down well with transparency activists, who fear it may end up as a tool to intimidate them and discourage citizens from using the law. …

RTICIC directed Chief Passport Officer to lay down clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report

March 13, .2017 : Dtf.in
New Delhi. The Chief Passport Officer has been directed by the Hon’ble CIC, inter alia, to lay down clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report. The Hon’ble CIC’s order was passed while deciding the second appeal from an RTI applicant who had applied for issuance of a new passport.
The respondent participated in the hearing through counsel in person. The appellant did not participate in the hearing.
In the order passed on March 08, 2017, the respondent was directed to provide to the appellant the information in context of his RTI application within 30 days of the said order. The Respondent CPIO was directed to show cause why action should not be taken against them for contravening the provisions of the RTI Act including not giving correct information, within 30 days of the said order. Further, the Chief Passport Officer was “directed to issue directions to all offices for:
(i) Invariably giving point-wise replies to RTI application.
(ii) Specific deficient documents should be clearly mentioned.
(iii) If an adverse police report is received, its copy should be sent to applicant immediately for his comments.
(iv) Clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report should be laid down.” The time granted for compliance is “within 30 days”.

The above information is subject to the Disclaimer of Dtf.in.

RTIInformation on consumer amenities must be given under RTI: CIC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Mar 9, 2017
CHENNAI: Data on the number of toilets, water supply, electricity and number of counters provided for transactions of receipts and withdrawals in a bank branch cannot be denied under the Right to Information Act.
This is the gist of a ruling by the Central Information Commission (CIC) recently, in response to an RTI petition filed by Chennai-based consumer activist, T Sadagopan, who, in 2015 had filed an RTI petition with the Avadi branch of Bank of India (BoI). …

RTICooperative Banks within the purview of the RTI Act: Bombay High Court

March 3, 2017 : Dtf.in
It has been held by the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court that co-operative institutions “need to supply” information to any “public authority” established under the Cooperative Societies Act. The petitioners had sought exemption under the RTI Act, 2005.
In para 10 of their judgment dated February 13, 2017, in the case of Jalgaon Jillha Urban Cooperative Banks Association Ltd., Jalgaon Vs. State of Maharashtra & Ors., Hon’ble Bombay High Court has decided as under:-
“The provisions of the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act if read with the definition of information given in section 2(f) of the Act, it can be said that everything which is mentioned in the definition of information needs to be supplied  by the cooperative institution to the authority created under the Cooperative Societies Act. The definition of ‘public authority’ given in section 2(h) shows that such public authority can be created by any law made by the State Legislature. It is already observed that the officers like Register and his subordinate officers are appointed under the Cooperative Societies Act and they have the control over the aforesaid things. In view of these circumstances, the observations made by the Apex Court in the paragraphs already quoted can be used safely when the information is sought from the authority like Register or his subordinates under the Cooperative Societies Act. Thus, the reliefs claimed in the present petition cannot be granted as the reliefs can be used directly or indirectly by the cooperative institutions to deny the supply of the information. The circumstances that the other matters were allowed by this court, other Bench of this Court, cannot come in the way of giving present decision by this Court as the decision of the Supreme Court was not there when other matters were decided by this Court. This Court holds that no relief which is claimed in the present petition can be given to the petitioner. The previous interpretation made by this Court is not correct interpretation in view of the law laid down by the Apex Court. In the result, the petition stands dismissed.”

More: Cooperative Banks/Societies within the ambit of RTI Act –  Bombay HC Judgment dated 13.02.2017 – Jalgaon Jillha Urban Cooperative Banks Association Ltd., Jalgaon Vs. The State of Maharashtra & Others [Section 2(h)]

Housing societies bound by RTI Act, must share info: Court

The petitioner had argued before the court that cooperative institutions registered under the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960 cannot be treated as `public authority’ under sections 2(h) and 8 of the RTI Act
Economic Times
March 02, 2017
Cooperative institutions, including around 75,000 housing societies in the Mumbai metropolitan region, can no longer refuse to share records under the Right To Information (RTI) Act with the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court ruling that these establishments come under the purview of the transparency legislation. …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Delhi HC stays CIC fine on DU for rejecting RTI queries on PM, Irani

Indianexpress.com
February 21, 2017
The Delhi High Court today stayed three separate CIC orders imposing Rs 25,000 penalty on Delhi University’s public information officer for rejecting RTI applications seeking facts about the graduation degrees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva observed that the RTI applicants “wasted judicial time” by filing “frivolous” pleas before the Central Information Commission (CIC) for rejection of their applications on technical grounds, instead of addressing the deficiencies pointed out by the central public information officer (CPIO) of Delhi University (DU). …

RTIHC quashes CIC order asking BCD to give minutes of meetings

India.com
February 15, 2017
New Delhi, Feb 15 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has set aside a CIC order directing the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) to provide the minutes of all meetings held by it from April 2010 till March 2015 and its sources of income.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said the Central Information Commission (CIC) “fell in error” in issuing the direction to put all such information in public domain as the minutes of meetings would contain “confidential personal information and information received in fiduciary capacity”. …

Frivolous queries irk officials

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Feb 08, 2017
AURANGABAD: Several government and semi-government officials here said they have become familiar with some persons, who habitually file RTI applications. They claimed that a closer scrutiny of such applications would reveal that the whole purpose of filing the Right To Information pleas contravenes the purpose of the transparency Act. …

RTIStudents can now seek ICSE answer sheets, re-evaluation: Info panel

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Feb 6, 2017
MUMBAI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has brought the private Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) board under the purview of the RTI Act. The ruling came after the appellant’s request for copies of his son’s ICSE exam answer sheets for six subjects was turned down. Kaushik’s father had applied for rechecking of his son’s papers, but CISCE norms only allow the verification of marks at a fee of Rs 4,000 for all papers. …

RTITop law officer out of RTI ambit: HC

Telegraphindia.com
New Delhi, Feb. 3 (PTI): The office of the attorney-general of India does not come under the Right to Information Act as it is not a “public authority”, Delhi High Court ruled today.
The verdict by a division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath came on an appeal by the Centre challenging the decision of a single judge who had held that the AG’s office is a public authority under the ambit of the transparency law. …

More than 60 per cent CIC orders flawed: study

Dnaindia.com 
Mon, 30 Jan 2017
It was conducted by the Research, Assessment and Group (RAAG) and Satark Nagrik Sangathan, which look after the implementation of RTI
More than 60 percent of the central information commission (CIC) orders are “deficient” in terms of “recording critical facts” and “grounds for decision of the IC and the basis thereof.” …

CIC has no power to order jail authorities reg compensation: HC

Business-standard.com 
January 27, 2017
Central Information Commission (CIC) does not have the power to direct Tihar Jail to develop a system of compensating inmates who have been incarcerated beyond their period of sentence, Delhi High Court has held.  …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Central Information Commission order on Narendra Modi degree stayed by Delhi HC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jan 24, 2017
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Monday stayed till April 27 a Central Information Commission order asking Delhi University to allow inspection of records of all students who cleared BA examination in 1978, which includes prime minister Narendra Modi. …

Man uses RTI to prove his wife is employed

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Dec 24, 2016
LUCKNOW: Settling family disputes through RTI is a trend not new to UP State Information Commission (UPSIC). The latest to have reached the commission is from Meerut. The case pertains to a harried husband.
The man has filed a complaint in the commission and said he is being harassed by his wife. He has urged to provide him the information he has sought under the Right to Information (RTI). The information, he said, if given, would be of extreme help. …

CIC directs Railway Board to amend the rules for copying charges under RTI

Dec 14, 2016 : Dtf.in
New Delhi. The Central Information Commission has, on December 5, directed the Railway Board to stop charging Rs 750 per page for photocopying and follow the provisions of the RTI Act and Rules. Under the RTI Act, Rs. two per page has been fixed for photocopying. The appellant did not participate in the hearing.
The respondent stated that the appellant was asked to deposit copying fee Rs. 750/- for reservation chart as per Railway Rules but the appellant did not respond to that letter. The appellant filed 2nd appeal before the CIC.
Hon’ble CIC, in its order, directed the Railway Board to take steps to amend the rules regarding copying charges suitably to bring them in conformity with the letter and spirit of the RTI Act and Rules.

Officials accused of sexual harassment entitled to get copy of complaint

Disclose details of corrupt officials: Info panel to govt

Order issued on an application by Rohtak-based RTI activist 
Tribuneindia.com
Rohtak, December 5, 2016
Efforts of a Rohtak-based RTI activist to get details about the involvement of IAS, HCS, IPS and HPS officers in corruption cases finally seem to be bearing fruit.
The Haryana government as well as the State Information Commission had earlier refused to furnish the information sought by the applicant under the RTI Act. The applicant then moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which directed the commission to reconsider the matter. …

Right of retired employee & RTI

Thehansindia.com
Nov 29,2016
Two issues show the inefficiency in the system– non-filling of the vacancies and not giving pension and other benefits on the day of retirement. …

Citizens To File Information Commission Complaints, Appeals Online

Ndtv.com
November 04, 2016
New Delhi:  Right To Information or RTI applicants will soon be able to file complaints and appeals with Central Information Commission (CIC) online.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the two-day annual convention of the CIC on Monday, during which he will launch the ‘e-Court’ system – aimed at enabling speedy disposal of appeals and complaints by using digital technology. …

Air Show
Representational Photo (Pixabay Image)

Make public report on aviator death: CIC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sep 28, 2016
NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Navy to make public the inquiry report on the death of Lt Cdr Rahul Nair during a 2010 air show even as it pulled up officials for their “cavalier attitude”. In a strongly worded order, information commissioner D P Sinha said that it appeared as if an “attempt has been made to protect the interest of the defaulters and that certainly does not out-weigh the interest of the soldier who lost his life in such an accident”. …

Haryana Information Commission rules that Students can seek Photocopies of Answer Sheets

Amit University Students awaken patriotic poems of the Nation (Image Courtesy: Amity.edu)
Amity University Students awaken patriotic poems of the Nation (Image Courtesy: Amity.edu)

Enaindia.in 
New Delhi. August 12 (ENA). State Information Commission of Haryana has ruled that students seeking photocopies of their answer sheets under the Right to Information (RTI) Act cannot be denied permission by universities.

According to the ruling of the information commission even if university rules don’t permit the distribution of photocopies of answer sheets to students on demand, the rules under the RTI Act supersedes any university rule thereby giving students the right to demand and get photocopies of their answer sheets. …

Compensation to be paid by teacher, school if kids subjected to corporal punishment 

    School should be made a place of pleasant learning for kids, free from assaults and humiliations.
School should be made a place of pleasant learning for kids, free from assaults and humiliations. (Pixabay Image)

July 25, 2016 : Dtf.in

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has on last Friday held that the teacher and the school also shall be liable to pay compensation to the injured child according to law.
As per the order of the Information Commissioner, the denial of information by the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) was unwarranted.
The information was denied by the CPIO on the ground that it was third party information. The applicant submitted that he needed the information so that his daughter could secure custody of children in her marital dispute against husband Yagya Dutt Arya. The Information Commissioner has decided that “Even if Section 8(1)(j) is assumed to be invoked, the school should have considered that imposing corporal punishment on children is against several laws including Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, is a public wrong, its disclosure has relationship with public activity and it will be in public interest, the revelation of which would not cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual, besides larger public interest is involved in disclosure only.”
The Information Commissioner has, inter alia, passed the following order:-

“28. The teacher and the school also shall be liable to pay compensation to the injured child according to law. The Commission directs the KVS, headquarters and regional directors to voluntarily disclose whether they have framed policy as advised by the NCPCR to eliminate the corporal punishment in their schools, details of incidents of corporal punishments and action taken against liable teachers, compensation to be paid and amount of compensation paid to the victims etc, every year, beginning with 2015-16, within three months. The Commission recommends that each school shall publish such a report every year, which shall be the model for other school. It will go a long way in making school a place of pleasant learning free from assaults and humiliations. The KVS also should have a policy of paying some amount as compensation to the victim children and that amount should be deducted from the salary of liable teacher. The public authority is directed to collect details of teachers punished for corporal assaults on children including the case of Mr. Yagya Dutt Arya. The Commission directs the KVS headquarters to circulate copy of this order to all schools and regional offices. Disposed of.”

See CIC Order dated 22.07.2016 >>> CIC Decision dated 22.07.2016 on Appeal filed by Bhramanand Mishra Vs. PIO, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan, Lucknow
[Sections 4(1)(a) & 8(1)(j); RTE Act, JJ Act; Art. 21,21A & 39(e) of the Constitution of India; Inquiry Report, School] >>> CIC Decisions

High Court seeks Centre’s reply on notary’s plea against CIC order

India.com
In the interim, the court extended till the next date the time for payment of the first installment of the penalty and also stayed CIC’s direction to the notary to pay Rs 1000 as compensation to RTI applicant Nand Lal.
July 7, 2016
New Delhi, Jul 7 : Delhi High Court has sought the Centre’s response on a notary’s plea challenging Central Information Commission’s (CIC) order declaring her to be a deemed Public Information Officer (PIO) and imposing a fine of Rs 25,000 for not furnishing records sought under RTI. Apart from the Centre, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva also issued notice to the RTI applicant, who had under the Right to Information Act (RTI) sought details of attestations made by the notary from 2008 to 2013, seeking his reply by the next date of hearing on July 13. In the interim, the court extended till the next date the time for payment of the first installment of the penalty and also stayed CIC’s direction to the notary to pay Rs 1000 as compensation to RTI applicant Nand Lal. …

Report CardGovt asks all departments to upload report cards on websites every month

Hindustantimes.com
Jun 27, 2016
This small step could go a long way to raise the transparency bar.
The Modi government has told all central departments to go public with a report card of its activities and achievements on a monthly basis. …

Training on RTIComing soon: IGNOU to offer diploma course on Right to Information

Hindustantimes.com
Jun 11, 2016
In order to encourage people to understand societal relevance of the Right to Information Act and its nuances, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has decided to introduce certificate and diploma courses in the subject. …

Right to Information

Private colleges, schools under RTI ambit

Tribuneindia.com
Shimla, June 9, 2016
To ensure transparency in the functioning of private educational institutions, the government has decided to bring all private colleges, senior secondary and high schools under the RTI Act 2005 with immediate effect. However, the Act will not cover medical and nursing colleges and schools affiliated to the CBSE and the ICSE. …

CIC wants RTI activist punished for misuse of law

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 21, 2016
NEW DELHI: In an unusual move, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has recommended action against an RTI applicant for misusing the law to harass his colleagues in a Delhi college.

CIC bans appearance of lawyer, HC stays order

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 3, 2016
New Delhi, Apr 3 () An Information Commissioner has “banned” the appearance of a counsel for the External Affairs Ministry before his bench on the ground that he was not discharging his duties as an advocate, an order which has been stayed by the Delhi High Court. …

Central Information Commission does away with need of hard copies for online appeals

Zeenews.india.com  
March 15, 2016
New Delhi: In a major procedural change, the Central Information Commission has done away with the mandatory provision of sending signed hard copy of appeals through post even though the appellant approached it online. …

Don’t disclose students’ information without consulting parents: CIC    

Zeenews.india.com
In a warning to the RTI applicant, Acharyulu said, “The Commission records its admonition against the appellant for misuse of RTI against the school child and warns him against such misuse in future.
January 26, 2016
The Commission admonished the principal of RD Public School and Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of Directorate of Education (DoE) of Delhi government for disclosing information about a student to his relatives who had a dispute with the student’s family. …

Note:- It may be noted that the information in this website is subject to the Disclaimer of Dtf.in. If you have a complaint with respect to any content published in this website, it may kindly be brought to our notice for appropriate action to remove such content as early as possible or publish the latest/updated content/event, if any, at info[at]dtf.in.

PASSPORT: Digital Police Portal For Tenant, Servant and Passport Verification; Police verification for passport to go online within a year …

PASSPORT NEWS

Tenant, Servant And Passport Verification Just a Click Away, Rajnath Singh Launches Digital Police Portal 
Police verification for passport to go online within a year
Passport can carry stepfather’s name sans judicial orders: HC
Father’s name not needed for passport, Delhi HC says
More …

Go to NEWS.

Digital Police Portal For Tenant, Servant and Passport Verification
Tenant, Servant And Passport Verification Just a Click Away, Rajnath Singh Launches Digital Police Portal

Union minister Rajnath Singh said the digital police portal will provide the citizen, facility for online complaint registration and request for antecedent verification.
News18.com
August 21, 2017
New Delhi: Union home minister Rajnath Singh launched a digital policing portal on Monday, making it possible to electronically apply and seek verification for tenants, domestic helps and even passports.
The initiative is a follow up of Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems Project (CCTNS) or the crime and criminal tracking network system. …

Indian Passport (Representational Image)
Indian Passport (Representational Image)(Image Courtesy: Wikimedia.org)

Police verification for passport to go online within a year

TimesofIndia.indiatimes.com
Aug 22, 2017
NEW DELHI: Delays in issue of passports due to lack of timely police verification are set to go with the government planning to replace physical verification of the applicant’s antecedents with online verification using a link to the newly-created national database on crimes of criminals. The national database was rolled out on Monday as part of the home ministry’s Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks and Systems (CCTNS) initiative. …

Representational Photo
Representational Photo

Passport can carry stepfather’s name sans judicial orders: HC

Tribuneindia.com
Chandigarh, November 22, 2016
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that a judicial order was not required for including the stepfather’s name in a child’s passport. Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain also overruled objections by the passport authorities on mentioning a stepfather’s name after ruling that he was the child’s legal guardian for all intents and purposes.
The development is significant as the passport authorities were insisting that the stepfather’s name can be mentioned only after he is appointed a legal guardian by the court. …

Father’s name not needed for passport, Delhi HC says

TimesofIndia.indiatimes.com
May 20, 2016
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court has held that in certain cases, mother’s name is sufficient for a child to apply for a passport, especially because a single woman can be a natural guardian as well as a parent. …

Govt won't accept handwritten passports from Wednesday
Govt won’t accept handwritten passports from Wednesday (Image Courtesy: Wikimedia.org)

Govt won’t accept handwritten passports from Wednesday (25.11.2015)

TimesofIndia.indiatimes.com
Nov 24, 2015
NEW DELHI: From Wednesday, the government will stop considering handwritten passports from Indian citizens. …

PUNE: Passport process made simple for govt employees    TimesofIndia.indiatimes.com
Jun 1, 2015
PUNE: A new ‘prior intimation’ feature introduced by the ministry of external affairs for government servants and public sector undertakings/ autonomous body employees seeking passports is expected to simplify the procedure for them. …

You may like to click on any of the following links:-
* Latest DOPT/CVC/RTI/MOF/CGHS/DPE/RBI Circulars; News
* Vigilance Related GOI/CVC Notifications/Office Orders/Circulars
* Right to Information (RTI) – Rules/ Notifications/Circulars 
* Decisions of Central Information Commission – Section-Wise and Subject-Wise
* CGHS Circulars/Empanelled Hospitals/Package Rates 

Soon, passport authorities to verify applicant identity with Aadhaar database   TimesofIndia.indiatimes.com
May 1, 2015
PUNE: The inter-linking of Aadhaar numbers with the passport issuance process is set to become a reality. …

Passport rules on including father’s name being revised: Centre   TimesofIndia.indiatimes.com
Feb 23, 2015
MUMBAI: The union government on Monday told the Bombay high court the passport authorities are compiling various judgements to re-formulate the mandatory rule regarding the inclusion of biological father’s name by an applicant in the passport application form. …

Madras HC: Passports should have provision to name stepparent   TimesofIndia.indiatimes.com
Jan 25, 2015
CHENNAI: Holding that relationships constantly get redefined and legal issues become more complex as society evolves, the Madras high court has said passport applications must have suitable columns to indicate names of biological parents or adoptive parents or stepparents, or all of them, as the situation demands. …

Note:- It may be noted that the information in this website is subject to the Disclaimer of Dtf.in. However, in case there is any complaint with respect to any content published in this website, it may kindly be brought to our notice for appropriate action to remove such content as early as possible or publish the latest/updated content/event, if any, at info@dtf.in.

RTI: High Court tells government to disclose IB report to IFS officer; CIC orders Madras High Court to publish impunged orders on website …

RTI NEWS

High Court tells government to disclose IB report to IFS officer
CIC orders Madras High Court to publish impunged orders on website
61 per cent dip in penalties imposed by CIC: Govt
RTI would be discarded if applicant dies: Centre
Right to Information or Right to Intimidation?
More …

Go to NEWS.

RECENT DECISIONS/POSTS

Service LawHigh Court tells government to disclose IB report to IFS officer

Hindustantimes.com
Aug 24, 2017
The Delhi high court on Wednesday upheld a CIC order directing the Centre to give IFS officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi a copy of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) report regarding alleged harassment and false cases filed against the whistle-blower for exposing graft during his tenure as forest officer in Haryana.
The court dismissed the IB’s plea challenging Chief Information Commission’s (CIC) April 2016 order directing to provide a copy of the report in relation to the alleged harassment, human rights violation, and false cases filed against Chaturvedi. …

RTICIC orders Madras High Court to publish impunged orders on website

Indiaexpress.com
August 17, 2017
The Central Information Commission has directed the Madras High Court registry to upload impugned orders of lower courts and tribunals on its website in larger public interest.
Chief Information Commissioner R K Mathur said the disclosures would help the general public, litigants and stakeholders link the orders of the High Court with impugned or challenged orders. …

You may like to click on any of the following links:-
RTI Rules/Orders * RTI – Court Judgments * Latest DOPT/CVC/RTI/MOF/CGHS/DPE Orders/Circulars Latest Department of Personnel & Training (DOPT)/DPPW Orders/Circulars * Latest Ministry of Finance Orders/Circulars * Deptt. of Public Enterprises (DPE) Circulars  * Vigilance Clearance and Vigilance Clearance Certificate * Vigilance Related GOI/CVC  Orders/Circulars * Decisions of Central Information Commission – Section-Wise * CGHS Circulars/Empanelled Hospitals/Package Rates Reserve Bank of India (RBI) – Circulars & Master Circulars (Subject-Wise)

RTI61 per cent dip in penalties imposed by CIC: Govt

India.com
July 19, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) The number of penalties imposed by the Central Information Commission have reduced by 61 per cent between 2013-14 and 2015-16.
“In so far the Central Information Commission (CIC) is concerned, penalty was imposed in 138 number of cases in the year 2013-14, 44 cases in 2014-15 and 54 cases in 2015-16. No data is centrally maintained for state information commissions,” Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh today said in the Lok Sabha. …

RTIRTI would be discarded if applicant dies: Centre

Aisanage.com
Jul 12, 2017,
Mumbai: The Centre’s new set of draft rules for Right To Information (RTI) Act, which makes it tougher for applicants to seek information under the Act, has become controversial. One of the major provisions that is being opposed by all, says that the application would be discarded if the applicant dies. RTI activists across the country have been fighting to remove this particular provision, which according to them would jeopardise the lives of the applicants. There have been allegations that the government has tried to dilute the RTI Act ever since its inception. …

Right to Information or Right to Intimidation?

Hindustantimes.com
Jul 08, 2017
Earlier this year the government proposed some changes to the RTI rules, which has caused concern to activists. Once passed, the RTI Rules 2017 will replace the RTI Rules 2012. The proposed rules were put out on the DoPT website for comments, and many say they have written to the department with their suggestions. Two of the most worrying changes in the rules are the provisions that proceedings pending before the commission shall abate on the death of the appellant and that the Commission may allow an appellant to withdraw an appeal if the matter has not been finally heard or a decision or order not been pronounced already by the Commission. (HT) …

RTIWhy can’t Governor’s office come under RTI ambit: SC

India.com
July 9, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) Why can’t the office of high constitutional functionaries like Governor come under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Supreme Court asked today.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy raised the question during the hearing of a plea file by the Centre challenging a 2011 order of Bombay High Court directing the disclosure of Governor’s report given to the President about the political situation in Goa in 2007. …

Central Information Commission directs govt to disclose data of officers facing corruption charges

Firstpost.com
Jul, 02 2017
New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the government to proactively put in the public domain data about officials facing corruption cases in each department.
The transparency watchdog has directed the Department of Personnel and Training to ensure that “numerical” data of government officials facing corruption charges should be brought out in public domain but not their names. …

Central Information Commission directs govt to disclose data of officers facing corruption charges

Firstpost.com
Jul, 02 2017
New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the government to proactively put in the public domain data about officials facing corruption cases in each department. 
The transparency watchdog has directed the Department of Personnel and Training to ensure that “numerical” data of government officials facing corruption charges should be brought out in public domain but not their names. …

Why can’t Governor’s office come under RTI ambit: SC

India.com
July 9, 2017
New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) Why can’t the office of high constitutional functionaries like Governor come under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Supreme Court asked today.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy raised the question during the hearing of a plea file by the Centre challenging a 2011 order of Bombay High Court directing the disclosure of Governor’s report given to the President about the political situation in Goa in 2007. …

RTICIC returns RTI plea written in Gujarati

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jun 5, 2017
Ahmedabad: Central Information Commissioner (CIC) has returned a plea under Right to Information (RTI) Act filed by a city-based activist seeking details of black money seized after demonetization. The office has said it has returned the application as it was in Gujarati and not written in English or Hindi. …

RTIDraft RTI rules: Clause allowing appeals to be withdrawn puts applicants at risk, warn activists

Scroll.in
Apr 04, 2017
After five years, the Union government has decided to update the rules for the implementation of the Right to Information Act, which was passed by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime in 2005 to provide a transparent mechanism for citizens to access information.

The Department of Personnel and Training, the nodal department enforcing the Act, put up the draft rules on its website last week, seeking feedback from the public by April 15. The idea behind the revamp of the rules is to simplify the process of obtaining information. However, certain changes proposed in the new draft rules have not gone down well with transparency activists, who fear it may end up as a tool to intimidate them and discourage citizens from using the law. …

RTICIC directed Chief Passport Officer to lay down clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report

March 13, .2017 : Dtf.in
New Delhi. The Chief Passport Officer has been directed by the Hon’ble CIC, inter alia, to lay down clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report. The Hon’ble CIC’s order was passed while deciding the second appeal from an RTI applicant who had applied for issuance of a new passport.
The respondent participated in the hearing through counsel in person. The appellant did not participate in the hearing.
In the order passed on March 08, 2017, the respondent was directed to provide to the appellant the information in context of his RTI application within 30 days of the said order. The Respondent CPIO was directed to show cause why action should not be taken against them for contravening the provisions of the RTI Act including not giving correct information, within 30 days of the said order. Further, the Chief Passport Officer was “directed to issue directions to all offices for:
(i) Invariably giving point-wise replies to RTI application.
(ii) Specific deficient documents should be clearly mentioned.
(iii) If an adverse police report is received, its copy should be sent to applicant immediately for his comments.
(iv) Clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report should be laid down.” The time granted for compliance is “within 30 days”.

The above information is subject to the Disclaimer of Dtf.in.

RTIInformation on consumer amenities must be given under RTI: CIC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Mar 9, 2017
CHENNAI: Data on the number of toilets, water supply, electricity and number of counters provided for transactions of receipts and withdrawals in a bank branch cannot be denied under the Right to Information Act.
This is the gist of a ruling by the Central Information Commission (CIC) recently, in response to an RTI petition filed by Chennai-based consumer activist, T Sadagopan, who, in 2015 had filed an RTI petition with the Avadi branch of Bank of India (BoI). …

RTICooperative Banks within the purview of the RTI Act: Bombay High Court

March 3, 2017 : Dtf.in
It has been held by the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court that co-operative institutions “need to supply” information to any “public authority” established under the Cooperative Societies Act. The petitioners had sought exemption under the RTI Act, 2005.
In para 10 of their judgment dated February 13, 2017, in the case of Jalgaon Jillha Urban Cooperative Banks Association Ltd., Jalgaon Vs. State of Maharashtra & Ors., Hon’ble Bombay High Court has decided as under:-
“The provisions of the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act if read with the definition of information given in section 2(f) of the Act, it can be said that everything which is mentioned in the definition of information needs to be supplied  by the cooperative institution to the authority created under the Cooperative Societies Act. The definition of ‘public authority’ given in section 2(h) shows that such public authority can be created by any law made by the State Legislature. It is already observed that the officers like Register and his subordinate officers are appointed under the Cooperative Societies Act and they have the control over the aforesaid things. In view of these circumstances, the observations made by the Apex Court in the paragraphs already quoted can be used safely when the information is sought from the authority like Register or his subordinates under the Cooperative Societies Act. Thus, the reliefs claimed in the present petition cannot be granted as the reliefs can be used directly or indirectly by the cooperative institutions to deny the supply of the information. The circumstances that the other matters were allowed by this court, other Bench of this Court, cannot come in the way of giving present decision by this Court as the decision of the Supreme Court was not there when other matters were decided by this Court. This Court holds that no relief which is claimed in the present petition can be given to the petitioner. The previous interpretation made by this Court is not correct interpretation in view of the law laid down by the Apex Court. In the result, the petition stands dismissed.”

More: Cooperative Banks/Societies within the ambit of RTI Act –  Bombay HC Judgment dated 13.02.2017 – Jalgaon Jillha Urban Cooperative Banks Association Ltd., Jalgaon Vs. The State of Maharashtra & Others [Section 2(h)]

Housing societies bound by RTI Act, must share info: Court

The petitioner had argued before the court that cooperative institutions registered under the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960 cannot be treated as `public authority’ under sections 2(h) and 8 of the RTI Act
Economic Times
March 02, 2017
Cooperative institutions, including around 75,000 housing societies in the Mumbai metropolitan region, can no longer refuse to share records under the Right To Information (RTI) Act with the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court ruling that these establishments come under the purview of the transparency legislation. …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Delhi HC stays CIC fine on DU for rejecting RTI queries on PM, Irani

Indianexpress.com
February 21, 2017
The Delhi High Court today stayed three separate CIC orders imposing Rs 25,000 penalty on Delhi University’s public information officer for rejecting RTI applications seeking facts about the graduation degrees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva observed that the RTI applicants “wasted judicial time” by filing “frivolous” pleas before the Central Information Commission (CIC) for rejection of their applications on technical grounds, instead of addressing the deficiencies pointed out by the central public information officer (CPIO) of Delhi University (DU). …

RTIHC quashes CIC order asking BCD to give minutes of meetings

India.com
February 15, 2017
New Delhi, Feb 15 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has set aside a CIC order directing the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) to provide the minutes of all meetings held by it from April 2010 till March 2015 and its sources of income.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said the Central Information Commission (CIC) “fell in error” in issuing the direction to put all such information in public domain as the minutes of meetings would contain “confidential personal information and information received in fiduciary capacity”. …

Frivolous queries irk officials

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Feb 08, 2017
AURANGABAD: Several government and semi-government officials here said they have become familiar with some persons, who habitually file RTI applications. They claimed that a closer scrutiny of such applications would reveal that the whole purpose of filing the Right To Information pleas contravenes the purpose of the transparency Act. …

RTIStudents can now seek ICSE answer sheets, re-evaluation: Info panel

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Feb 6, 2017
MUMBAI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has brought the private Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) board under the purview of the RTI Act. The ruling came after the appellant’s request for copies of his son’s ICSE exam answer sheets for six subjects was turned down. Kaushik’s father had applied for rechecking of his son’s papers, but CISCE norms only allow the verification of marks at a fee of Rs 4,000 for all papers. …

RTITop law officer out of RTI ambit: HC

Telegraphindia.com
New Delhi, Feb. 3 (PTI): The office of the attorney-general of India does not come under the Right to Information Act as it is not a “public authority”, Delhi High Court ruled today.
The verdict by a division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath came on an appeal by the Centre challenging the decision of a single judge who had held that the AG’s office is a public authority under the ambit of the transparency law. …

More than 60 per cent CIC orders flawed: study

Dnaindia.com 
Mon, 30 Jan 2017
It was conducted by the Research, Assessment and Group (RAAG) and Satark Nagrik Sangathan, which look after the implementation of RTI
More than 60 percent of the central information commission (CIC) orders are “deficient” in terms of “recording critical facts” and “grounds for decision of the IC and the basis thereof.” …

CIC has no power to order jail authorities reg compensation: HC

Business-standard.com 
January 27, 2017
Central Information Commission (CIC) does not have the power to direct Tihar Jail to develop a system of compensating inmates who have been incarcerated beyond their period of sentence, Delhi High Court has held.  …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Central Information Commission order on Narendra Modi degree stayed by Delhi HC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jan 24, 2017
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Monday stayed till April 27 a Central Information Commission order asking Delhi University to allow inspection of records of all students who cleared BA examination in 1978, which includes prime minister Narendra Modi. …

Man uses RTI to prove his wife is employed

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Dec 24, 2016
LUCKNOW: Settling family disputes through RTI is a trend not new to UP State Information Commission (UPSIC). The latest to have reached the commission is from Meerut. The case pertains to a harried husband.
The man has filed a complaint in the commission and said he is being harassed by his wife. He has urged to provide him the information he has sought under the Right to Information (RTI). The information, he said, if given, would be of extreme help. …

CIC directs Railway Board to amend the rules for copying charges under RTI

Dec 14, 2016 : Dtf.in
New Delhi. The Central Information Commission has, on December 5, directed the Railway Board to stop charging Rs 750 per page for photocopying and follow the provisions of the RTI Act and Rules. Under the RTI Act, Rs. two per page has been fixed for photocopying. The appellant did not participate in the hearing.
The respondent stated that the appellant was asked to deposit copying fee Rs. 750/- for reservation chart as per Railway Rules but the appellant did not respond to that letter. The appellant filed 2nd appeal before the CIC.
Hon’ble CIC, in its order, directed the Railway Board to take steps to amend the rules regarding copying charges suitably to bring them in conformity with the letter and spirit of the RTI Act and Rules.

Officials accused of sexual harassment entitled to get copy of complaint

Disclose details of corrupt officials: Info panel to govt

Order issued on an application by Rohtak-based RTI activist 
Tribuneindia.com
Rohtak, December 5, 2016
Efforts of a Rohtak-based RTI activist to get details about the involvement of IAS, HCS, IPS and HPS officers in corruption cases finally seem to be bearing fruit.
The Haryana government as well as the State Information Commission had earlier refused to furnish the information sought by the applicant under the RTI Act. The applicant then moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which directed the commission to reconsider the matter. …

Right of retired employee & RTI

Thehansindia.com
Nov 29,2016
Two issues show the inefficiency in the system– non-filling of the vacancies and not giving pension and other benefits on the day of retirement. …

Citizens To File Information Commission Complaints, Appeals Online

Ndtv.com
November 04, 2016
New Delhi:  Right To Information or RTI applicants will soon be able to file complaints and appeals with Central Information Commission (CIC) online.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the two-day annual convention of the CIC on Monday, during which he will launch the ‘e-Court’ system – aimed at enabling speedy disposal of appeals and complaints by using digital technology. …

Air Show
Representational Photo (Pixabay Image)

Make public report on aviator death: CIC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sep 28, 2016
NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Navy to make public the inquiry report on the death of Lt Cdr Rahul Nair during a 2010 air show even as it pulled up officials for their “cavalier attitude”. In a strongly worded order, information commissioner D P Sinha said that it appeared as if an “attempt has been made to protect the interest of the defaulters and that certainly does not out-weigh the interest of the soldier who lost his life in such an accident”. …

Haryana Information Commission rules that Students can seek Photocopies of Answer Sheets

Amit University Students awaken patriotic poems of the Nation (Image Courtesy: Amity.edu)
Amity University Students awaken patriotic poems of the Nation (Image Courtesy: Amity.edu)

Enaindia.in 
New Delhi. August 12 (ENA). State Information Commission of Haryana has ruled that students seeking photocopies of their answer sheets under the Right to Information (RTI) Act cannot be denied permission by universities.

According to the ruling of the information commission even if university rules don’t permit the distribution of photocopies of answer sheets to students on demand, the rules under the RTI Act supersedes any university rule thereby giving students the right to demand and get photocopies of their answer sheets. …

Compensation to be paid by teacher, school if kids subjected to corporal punishment 

    School should be made a place of pleasant learning for kids, free from assaults and humiliations.
School should be made a place of pleasant learning for kids, free from assaults and humiliations. (Pixabay Image)

July 25, 2016 : Dtf.in

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has on last Friday held that the teacher and the school also shall be liable to pay compensation to the injured child according to law.
As per the order of the Information Commissioner, the denial of information by the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) was unwarranted.
The information was denied by the CPIO on the ground that it was third party information. The applicant submitted that he needed the information so that his daughter could secure custody of children in her marital dispute against husband Yagya Dutt Arya. The Information Commissioner has decided that “Even if Section 8(1)(j) is assumed to be invoked, the school should have considered that imposing corporal punishment on children is against several laws including Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, is a public wrong, its disclosure has relationship with public activity and it will be in public interest, the revelation of which would not cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual, besides larger public interest is involved in disclosure only.”
The Information Commissioner has, inter alia, passed the following order:-

“28. The teacher and the school also shall be liable to pay compensation to the injured child according to law. The Commission directs the KVS, headquarters and regional directors to voluntarily disclose whether they have framed policy as advised by the NCPCR to eliminate the corporal punishment in their schools, details of incidents of corporal punishments and action taken against liable teachers, compensation to be paid and amount of compensation paid to the victims etc, every year, beginning with 2015-16, within three months. The Commission recommends that each school shall publish such a report every year, which shall be the model for other school. It will go a long way in making school a place of pleasant learning free from assaults and humiliations. The KVS also should have a policy of paying some amount as compensation to the victim children and that amount should be deducted from the salary of liable teacher. The public authority is directed to collect details of teachers punished for corporal assaults on children including the case of Mr. Yagya Dutt Arya. The Commission directs the KVS headquarters to circulate copy of this order to all schools and regional offices. Disposed of.”

See CIC Order dated 22.07.2016 >>> CIC Decision dated 22.07.2016 on Appeal filed by Bhramanand Mishra Vs. PIO, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan, Lucknow
[Sections 4(1)(a) & 8(1)(j); RTE Act, JJ Act; Art. 21,21A & 39(e) of the Constitution of India; Inquiry Report, School] >>> CIC Decisions

High Court seeks Centre’s reply on notary’s plea against CIC order

India.com
In the interim, the court extended till the next date the time for payment of the first installment of the penalty and also stayed CIC’s direction to the notary to pay Rs 1000 as compensation to RTI applicant Nand Lal.
July 7, 2016
New Delhi, Jul 7 : Delhi High Court has sought the Centre’s response on a notary’s plea challenging Central Information Commission’s (CIC) order declaring her to be a deemed Public Information Officer (PIO) and imposing a fine of Rs 25,000 for not furnishing records sought under RTI. Apart from the Centre, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva also issued notice to the RTI applicant, who had under the Right to Information Act (RTI) sought details of attestations made by the notary from 2008 to 2013, seeking his reply by the next date of hearing on July 13. In the interim, the court extended till the next date the time for payment of the first installment of the penalty and also stayed CIC’s direction to the notary to pay Rs 1000 as compensation to RTI applicant Nand Lal. …

Report CardGovt asks all departments to upload report cards on websites every month

Hindustantimes.com
Jun 27, 2016
This small step could go a long way to raise the transparency bar.
The Modi government has told all central departments to go public with a report card of its activities and achievements on a monthly basis. …

Training on RTIComing soon: IGNOU to offer diploma course on Right to Information

Hindustantimes.com
Jun 11, 2016
In order to encourage people to understand societal relevance of the Right to Information Act and its nuances, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has decided to introduce certificate and diploma courses in the subject. …

Right to Information

Private colleges, schools under RTI ambit

Tribuneindia.com
Shimla, June 9, 2016
To ensure transparency in the functioning of private educational institutions, the government has decided to bring all private colleges, senior secondary and high schools under the RTI Act 2005 with immediate effect. However, the Act will not cover medical and nursing colleges and schools affiliated to the CBSE and the ICSE. …

CIC wants RTI activist punished for misuse of law

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 21, 2016
NEW DELHI: In an unusual move, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has recommended action against an RTI applicant for misusing the law to harass his colleagues in a Delhi college.

CIC bans appearance of lawyer, HC stays order

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 3, 2016
New Delhi, Apr 3 () An Information Commissioner has “banned” the appearance of a counsel for the External Affairs Ministry before his bench on the ground that he was not discharging his duties as an advocate, an order which has been stayed by the Delhi High Court. …

Central Information Commission does away with need of hard copies for online appeals

Zeenews.india.com  
March 15, 2016
New Delhi: In a major procedural change, the Central Information Commission has done away with the mandatory provision of sending signed hard copy of appeals through post even though the appellant approached it online. …

Don’t disclose students’ information without consulting parents: CIC    

Zeenews.india.com
In a warning to the RTI applicant, Acharyulu said, “The Commission records its admonition against the appellant for misuse of RTI against the school child and warns him against such misuse in future.
January 26, 2016
The Commission admonished the principal of RD Public School and Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of Directorate of Education (DoE) of Delhi government for disclosing information about a student to his relatives who had a dispute with the student’s family. …

Note:- It may be noted that the information in this website is subject to the Disclaimer of Dtf.in. If you have a complaint with respect to any content published in this website, it may kindly be brought to our notice for appropriate action to remove such content as early as possible or publish the latest/updated content/event, if any, at info[at]dtf.in.

RESERVATION: Panel to split OBCs into sub-categories; ‘Creamy layer’ bar may be raised to Rs 8 lakh/annum …

Panel to split OBCs into sub-categories
OBC reservation: ‘Creamy layer’ bar may be raised to Rs 8 lakh/annum
Those found using fake caste certificate for education or employment will lose degree, job: Supreme Court
Lok Rakshak candidates forge caste certificates, six arrested
Man held for using fake certificate to claim job
Brahmin adopted by SCs can get quota job, says Punjab and Haryana HC
More …

Go to NEWS.

RECENT GOVT. ORDERS/JUDGEMENTS

Panel to split OBCs into sub-categories

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Aug 24, 2017 
NEW DELHI: The government is set to constitute a commission to examine how the Central list of OBCs can be divided into sub-groups, an act that appears to be a BJP move to win over the “most backward castes” by addressing their grievance of “inequitable” distribution of Mandal reservation benefits.
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the setting up of a commission for sub-categorisation of OBCs. …

OBC reservation: ‘Creamy layer’ bar may be raised to Rs 8 lakh/annum

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Aug 21, 2017
NEW DELHI: A ministerial panel is learnt to be taking a final look at a proposal which seeks to raise the income bar defining “creamy layer” for OBC reservation to Rs 8 lakh per annum. The Cabinet note sent by the social justice ministry has been lying with the government for nearly one year and is in the final stages of approval.
According to those in the know, it has been referred to a Group of Ministers for a second view before being sent to the Cabinet for government assent. …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Those found using fake caste certificate for education or employment will lose degree, job: Supreme Court

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jul 6, 2017,
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday said anyone found guilty of using a forged caste certificate for getting education and employment will lose their degree and their job.
In addition, they will also be punished, said the top court.
In the case of employment, the top court said it doesn’t matter how long a person has held their job. …

More:  SC Judgement dated 06.07.2017 – Chairman and Managing Director FCI and Ors. Vs. Jagdish Balaram Bahira and Ors.  >>> Court Judgements on Service Matters

You may like to click on any of the following links:-
* Latest DOPT / CVC / RTI / MOF / CGHS / DPE  Circulars/Orders 
* Reservation for SCs/STs/OBCs/PWDs/Minorities
Vigilance Clearance
* Right to Information (RTI) – Rules/ Notifications/Circulars
* Decisions of Central Information Commission – Section-Wise

Lok Rakshak candidates forge caste certificates, six arrested

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Mar 17, 2017 
Vadodara: Six persons including five candidates, who had applied as Lok Rakshak in police force were arrested for allegedly forging caste certificates. Two other candidates are absconding. …

Man held for using fake certificate to claim job

Thehindu.com 
February 16, 2017
The Regional Office of the Civil Rights Enforcement Cell, Belagavi, has registered a criminal case against Sanjeev, son of Nagaraj Alur of Shivanand Nagar in Dharwad, for using a fake caste certificate to claim a government job, besides educational and monetary benefits. …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Brahmin adopted by SCs can get quota job, says Punjab and Haryana HC

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Feb 23, 2017
CHANDIGARH: Can a person avail the benefits of reservation under Scheduled Caste (SC) if he was born a Brahmin but was adopted and brought up by SC parents? In an order that will have wide-ranging ramifications, the Punjab and Haryana high court has held that such a person cannot be denied a government job under the reserved category. …

The Supreme Court is examining the “creamy layer” criteria used in civil service

Barandbench.com
Dec 02, 2016
The government’s reservation policies, including how the benefactors are identified, is up for scrutiny in the Supreme Court of India. On Monday, J Chelameswar and Prafulla Pant JJ issued notice in a batch of petitions challenging the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) policies on identifying the “creamy layer” within Other Backward Classes.
x  x  x
Along with issuing notice, the bench also noted that selections made under the OBC category in the UPSC Civil Service Examination of 2015 would be subject to the “final result” of these petitions. …
See related DoPT O.M. >>> DoPT O.M. dated 20.12.2016-Supreme Court Order dated 28.11.2016 in WPs filed by Jogindher G. and Ors. etc. Vs. UOI & Ors. etc. (Creamy Layer of OBCs)

Karnataka government mulls 70% quota for Dalits

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Dec 11, 2016
Hubballi: The Karnataka government is mulling 70% quota for Dalits and backward classes. Addressing the Madigara Maha Samavesh here on Sunday, CM Siddaramaiah said that Tamil Nadu has already provided 69% reservation for SCs and STs, adding that the state will consult legal experts to make amendments to the existing laws and put forth a resolution in the next Assembly session. …

Gavel
(Representative Photo)

Rajasthan High Court strikes down Gujjar reservation

Indianexpress.com 
The court pointed out several flaws in the SBC reservation while saying that the ceiling of 50 per cent can be exceeded in exceptional cases.
December 10, 2016
The Rajasthan High Court on Friday struck down five per cent reservation for Gujjars and four other castes under the Special Backwards Classes (SBC) category, underlining that reservation should not be provided “to achieve political goals”.
“Five castes (Gujjars, Banjaras, Gadarias, Raikas and Gadia Lohars), earlier falling in the category of OBCs and getting benefit of reservation, have been brought in the category of SBCs to provide five per cent reservation exceeding the ceiling of 50 per cent,” the court said. “…it is not that the Gujjars/Gurjars and others were having no representation either for admission in the educational institutions or in services.’’ …

Cabinet approves inclusion/amendments in the Central List of Other Backward Classes notified in respect of 8 States

Nov 30, 2016
“The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to notify inclusion/Amendments in the Central List of Other Backward Classes notified in respect of States of Assam, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand.
On the recommendation of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), a total of 2479 Entries for inclusion, including its synonyms, sub-castes, etc. in the Central List of Other Backward Classes have been notified in 25 States and 6 Union Territories. The last such notification was issued till September, 2016. Meanwhile more advices for inclusion of castes/communities and corrections in the existing list of OBCs for the State of Assam, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand have been received from NCBC. Accordingly, a total of 28 changes recommended by NCBC in respect of 8 states including Jammu and Kashmir (15 new entries, 09 synonyms/sub-castes and 04 corrections) have been notified.
The changes will enable the persons belonging to these castes/ communities to avail the benefits of reservation in Government services and posts as well as in Central Educational Institutions as per the existing policy. They will also become eligible for benefit under the various welfare schemes, scholarships etc. being administered by the Central Government, which are at present available to the persons belonging to the Other Backward Classes.
Background
The NCBC was set up in pursuance to the Supreme Court judgement in the Indra Sawhney case as per the NCBC Act 1993. Section 9 (“Functions of the Commission”) of the NCBC Act 1993 states as under:
(i) The Commission shall examine requests for inclusion of any class of citizens as a backward class in the lists and hear complaints of over-inclusion or under-inclusion of any backward class in such lists and tender such advice to the Central Government as it deems appropriate.
(ii) The advice of the Commission shall ordinarily be binding upon the Central Government.”
(Source: pib website)

10% reservation for poor in govt jobs to continue

College Campus
College Campus (Representative Photo from Pixabay)

Government plans to introduce quota for faculty at IIMs

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sep 16, 2016
AHMEDABAD: Union HRD Ministry has proposed to introduce reservation in teaching positions at Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and will hold talks with the chiefs of these premier B-schools in this regard. …

Are meritorious SC, OBCs being short-changed?

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Jul 29, 2016
NEW DELHI: The national commission for SCs is examining if the Centre is using the concessions given to Dalits and backwards to appear in examinations as the basis to classify them as “reserved candidates” irrespective of merit. …

State not bound to give reservation in promotion to SC,ST: Supreme CourtSupreme Court: 3 per cent quota for disabled must in all posts

Indianexpress.com
July 04, 2016
The court was ruling on two petitions which challlenged this policy in recruitment to state-run Prasar Bharati. S K Rungta, the only visually impaired senior counsel in the country, led the legal challenge.
QUASHING THE central government’s earlier orders on restricting reservation for the differently-abled in promotion to Group A and Group B posts, the Supreme Court has ruled that three per cent reservation shall be provided to them in all posts and services under the Government of India. …

State not bound to give reservation in promotion to SC, ST: Supreme Court   

Hindustantimes.com  
Mar 11, 2016
The state is not duty-bound to give reservation in promotion to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe employees, the Supreme Court said on Friday. …

Note:- It may be noted that the information in this website is subject to the Disclaimer of Dtf.in. However, if you have a complaint with respect to any content published in this website, it may kindly be brought to our notice for appropriate action to remove such content as early as possible or publish the latest/updated content/event, if any, at info[at]dtf.in.