RTI NEWS

Why can’t Governor’s office come under RTI ambit: SC
Central Information Commission directs govt to disclose data of officers facing corruption charges
CIC returns RTI plea written in Gujarati
Draft RTI rules: Clause allowing appeals to be withdrawn puts applicants at risk, warn activists
CIC directed Chief Passport Officer to lay down clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report
Information on consumer amenities must be given under RTI: CIC
Cooperative Banks within the purview of the RTI Act: Bombay High Court
More …

Go to NEWS.

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. …

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. …

CIC 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. …

Draft 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. …

CIC 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.

Information 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). …

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)

Cooperative 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. …

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). …

HC 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. …

Students 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. …

Top 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.  …

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.

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. …

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

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 

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. …

Govt 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. …

Coming 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. …

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.

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
The Supreme Court is examining the “creamy layer” criteria used in civil service
Karnataka government mulls 70% quota for Dalits
More …

Go to NEWS.

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. …

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. …

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

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. …

Supreme 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.

Your Diagnostic Reports Can Be Signed By Doctors Only, Says MCI
Beware of Hand Sanitisers: They Can Be Very Harmful for Children
Walking posture: Right and wrong
Why you need to wash your underwear separately
More ….

Go to NEWS.

Your Diagnostic Reports Can Be Signed By Doctors Only, Says MCI

Ndtv.com
Mon, 03 Jul 2017
In an attempt to drive out medical errors in diagnostic reports, the Medical Council Of India (MCI) has notified that only those who hold MBBS degree and therefore lie under the professional purview of either the Medical Council Of India (MCI) or the Medical Councils of various states would be allowed to sign Diagnostic Reports from the different laboratories. While the decision has been received well in the medical fraternity, there are certain organisations who are wary of it and might file for further clarifications since previously, reports could be signed by both PhD scholars, researchers & doctors. …

Beware of Hand Sanitisers: They Can Be Very Harmful for Children

Ndtv.com
March 06, 2017

We are living in a world where there is no scarcity of germs and harmful viruses to create havoc to our health and well-being. The only way we can stay safeguarded is if we make the conscious effort to stay in a clean environment and use precautions. Our hands are the most exposed parts of the body that are prone to catching germs. …

Walking posture: Right and wrong

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
January 21, 2017

Why you need to wash your underwear separately

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
January 13, 2017 
6 reasons you must wash your underwear separately 
We all are often too lazy to care for laundry etiquettes. We throw everything together in the laundry bag, from our white tees, our grandmother’s woollen socks, to our new Forever 21 jacket and even our latest jockeys or BVDs. While there are so many things to keep in mind for washing your clothes the right way, here we look into what happens when you wash your unders along with the other laundry. And believe us when we say this: These long and short johns in your machine can be the biggest culprits for spreading infections. …

Uncovered: Spicy Indian pepper has powerful anti-cancer properties

Zeenews.india.com
January 14, 2017 
New Delhi: The role of herbs and spice in cancer prevention is becoming more important as researchers and the public are turning to alternative treatments.
Since time immemorial, herbs and spices have been used for their flavor-enhancement characteristics and for their medicinal properties. …

Heart disease: Five simple ways to prevent it!

Zeenews.india.com
January 7, 2017
New Delhi: Heart disease has now become the leading cause of mortality in in our country. It remains to be the top killer of both men and women in the world.
Heat disease is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. Though some people are born with heart disease, but there are many things which you can do to protect your heart and blood vessels by leading a healthy lifestyle. …

Good habits that are bad for you

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jan 05, 2017

You may like to click on any of the following links:-
* Latest DOPT / CVC / RTI / MOF / CGHS / DPE Circulars / Orders; News
* NATUROPATHY: How To Avoid Diabetes …
* CGHS Circulars/Empanelled Hospitals/Package Rates
* Vigilance Clearance
* Right to Information Circulars/Orders
* Decisions of Central Information Commission – Section-Wise.

Your ATM dispenses bacteria

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Painkillers turning poison pills

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sep 16, 2016
New Delhi: NSAIDS, or the common painkillers, are not advisable for dengue patients because they are known to quicken internal bleeding. However, doctors have been prescribing them to relieve joint pain in suspected or confirmed cases of chikungunya. Now, in a worrying trend, these drugs have been found to be counterproductive even in chikungunya patients. …

Warning! Never Reheat These 10 Foods, They Can kill Your Family

Speakingtree.in
Nov 02, 2015
1. Things you don’t know
Reheating dinner is a way of life. Whether it’s Friday night and you need to clean out your fridge, or you want to turn your leftovers from last night into a whole new meal, our microwaves are our handy kitchen companions. But research shows that reheating some of your favorite foods can be dangerous to your health. Take a look at these foods that can give you food poisoning (or worse). …

A glass of water contains ten million bacteria!   

Economictimes.indiatimes.com
28 Dec, 2015
London: A glass of clean drinking water contains ten million ‘good’ bacteria which may help purify the water and keep it safe, a new study has claimed. …

Easy ways to cure acidity

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com

This is what ready to eat meals do to you

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Nov 25, 2015
This is what ready to eat meals do to you
Ready meals can raise risk of memory loss, says scientific study.
There’s more reason to grouse. Apart from preservatives and additives affecting your physical health, ready meals can raise your risk of memory loss, a new study has found. …

Frequent Breaks, Not Exercise, Best to Cut Long Sitting Hours

Ndtv.com
September 22, 2015
London: If you want to remain fit and healthy, try to go for frequent breaks from prolonged sitting at workplace or home as daily morning exercise alone may not help you ward off the ill-effects of sitting for long hours. …

Don’t sit at one place, just hop around your workplace!   Economictimes.indiatimes.com
13 May, 2015
Every morning, after arriving at her office in Adyar, Divya Mohandoss heads to her department where she can choose from a Japanese-style low seating area, hanging rope chairs or comfortable seats at the coffee shop. …

Avoid sitting for long hours for a healthy heart  
Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Mar 8, 2015
Sitting for long hours everyday is associated with increased coronary artery calcification that can increase the risk of a heart attack, new research says. …

Note:– It may be noted that the information in this website is subject to the Disclaimer of Dtf.in. However, in case 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.

INCOME TAX NEWS

10 commandments of tax
July 1 Not Last Date For Linking Your Aadhaar With PAN, Here’s All You Need To Know
Aadhaar must for ITR filing, new PAN from July 1: CBDT
Supreme Court upholds law making Aadhaar mandatory for PAN, ITR but exempts those without it for now
Paying house rent to parent, kin? HRA exemptions won’t be that easier 
More …

Go to NEWS.

10 commandments of tax

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Jul 3, 2017,
Many make mistakes while filing tax returns. Follow these rules so that your return is flawless.
We all believe we are paying a lot of tax. The time has come to record it as well.
By filing your tax return, you declare how much income you earned during the year, the deductions you claimed and the tax you paid. The equation is simple, yet many taxpayers mess up their tax returns – either out of greed, ignorance of rules, or just lack of time. Some mistakes are not very serious offences and the taxpayer will get away with an additional tax demand. But some errors, such as not mentioning cash deposits after demonetisation or foreign assets and income, can land the taxpayer in serious trouble. …

July 1 Not Last Date For Linking Your Aadhaar With PAN, Here’s All You Need To Know

There are reports that if you don’t link your Aadhar with your PAN before July 1, your PAN will become invalid.
Outlookindia.com 
June 29, 2017
All PAN card holders will have to link the income tax permanent account number with their 12- digit biometric identifier Aadhaar from July 1, according to a government notification.
Aadhaar number or Aadhaar enrolment ID will have to be mandatorily quoted while applying for PAN as well as for filing of income tax returns. …

Aadhaar must for ITR filing, new PAN from July 1: CBDT

Tax dept says SC has given ‘only a partial relief’ to those who do not have Aadhaar.
Indianexpress.com 
June 11, 2017
A day after the Supreme Court upheld the Centre’s amendment to the Income Tax Act making it compulsory for assessees to link their PAN and Aadhaar numbers, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) stated that it would be mandatory for those who have Aadhaar to quote it for filing tax returns or for obtaining a new PAN from July 1. The CBDT said that the apex court has given “only a partial relief” to those who do not have an Aadhaar or those who do not wish to obtain Aadhaar for the time being, and therefore, tax authorities will not invalidate their Permanent Account Number (PAN). …

Supreme Court upholds law making Aadhaar mandatory for PAN, ITR but exempts those without it for now

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Jun 9, 2017 
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the validity of the law making Aadhaar mandatory for allotment of PAN and filing of Income Tax(IT) returns but exempted those without it for now until the larger privacy issue is decided.
In effect, those who possess an Aadhaar card must link it to their Permanent Account Number(PAN) card and those who have enrolled and not yet got their Aadhaar card are also exempted from mandatory linkage and the penalising invalidation of their PANs if they don’t link it.  …

Paying house rent to parent, kin? HRA exemptions won’t be that easier

Deccanchronicle.com
Apr 11, 2017
Mumbai: From now on, claiming tax benefits on rent paid under House Rent Allowance rules of Income Tax Act will no longer be that easier.  This especially when you are staying at your parent’s or relative’s place. 
Given the substantial rise in number of fake rent receipts that are being submitted with employers, the income tax department has decided to change some rule, and make them tough too. …

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 

How To Maintain Your House Rent Allowance (HRA) Exemption

Profit.ndtv.com 
April 11, 2017 
Now salaried class taxpayers cannot claim house rent allowance or HRA exemption on the basis of fake rent receipts in name of their mother, father, wife or any other close relative. The Income Tax Department may disallow fake HRA exemptions on basis of guidelines recently issued by the Mumbai ITAT (Income Tax Appellate Tribunal). Now onwards, such taxpayers may have to keep other documents to substantiate payment of rent to claim HRA exemption.

Fake rent receipt won’t help you lower tax burden any more

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Apr 05, 2017

MUMBAI: For as long as anyone can remember, producing fake property rent receipt, often from parents and relatives, has been an easy way to lower tax burden. Such cavalier disregard for tax rule was overlooked by most employers as well as taxman, who possibly felt it was a minor transgression. Perhaps, not anymore. …

Govt notifies simplified ITR form; e-filing to start from tomorrow

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Mar 31, 2017 
NEW DELHI: The government on Friday notified a simplified income tax return form for individuals which will be available for filing ITR for assessment year 2017-18 from Saturday. 
Currently, SAHAJ (ITR 1) is filed by salaried employees and ITR 2 by individuals and HUFs whose income does not include income from business. 
The government has done away with two forms ITR 2A (used by individuals & HUFs not having income from business or profession and capital gains and who do not hold foreign assets). …

Are you an honest taxpayer? Find out

Economictimes.indiatimes.com 
Jul 04, 2016 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes that “Indians are inherently honest”, but a recent survey indicates that if given a chance, 58% of taxpayers will under-report their income to save tax. The online survey conducted last week by ET Wealth got 953 respondents across age groups and income levels. On the face of it, the results of the survey validate Modi’s words. Over 82% of taxpayers have never knowingly given incorrect information in their tax returns and 13.6% have done it just “once or twice.

A mere 4.4% are the bad apples who have under-reported their income many times in their returns. …

I-T Dept yet to comply with CBDT order on publishing names of tax-exempt charities

Moneylife.in  
24 June 2016 
Following repeated directions from the Central Information Commission (CIC), the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had asked the Income Tax (I-T) Department to place in the public domain names of all organisation and entities that enjoyed tax exemption. However, the I-T department has not yet complied with the directions. …

Income tax department to pay interest on TDS refund   

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Apr 26, 2016 
NEW DELHI: The income tax department will now add interest amount to a delayed refund made on excess TDS deductions and will also not litigate with the deductor on this issue in the future, a latest directive has said. …

Choose the correct income tax return form   

Deccanchronicle.com  
Apr 26, 2016 
Every year the government notifies the tax return forms applicable for the current assessment year. This year the tax return forms have been notified well in time just before the close of the financial year on March 3oth. The newly notified forms for the financial year 2015-16 do carry some changes over the previous year’s forms. …

Rules regarding quoting of PAN for specified transactions amended   

Business-standar.com
December 16, 2015
The Government is committed to curbing the circulation of black money and widening of tax base. To collect information of certain types of transactions from third parties in a non-intrusive manner, the Income-tax Rules require quoting of Permanent Account Number (PAN) where the transactions exceed a specified limit. …

I-T dept to use email for issuing notices

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sep 20, 2015
NEW DELHI: In welcome news for taxpayers, the IT department has decided to launch a new system of issuing email notices to which an assessee can respond electronically, obviating the need for a physical interface with the taxman which often led to complaints about harassment. …

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.

INCOME TAX NEWS

July 1 Not Last Date For Linking Your Aadhaar With PAN, Here’s All You Need To Know
Aadhaar must for ITR filing, new PAN from July 1: CBDT
Supreme Court upholds law making Aadhaar mandatory for PAN, ITR but exempts those without it for now
Paying house rent to parent, kin? HRA exemptions won’t be that easier 
More …

Go to NEWS.

July 1 Not Last Date For Linking Your Aadhaar With PAN, Here’s All You Need To Know

There are reports that if you don’t link your Aadhar with your PAN before July 1, your PAN will become invalid.
Outlookindia.com 
June 29, 2017
All PAN card holders will have to link the income tax permanent account number with their 12- digit biometric identifier Aadhaar from July 1, according to a government notification.
Aadhaar number or Aadhaar enrolment ID will have to be mandatorily quoted while applying for PAN as well as for filing of income tax returns. …

Aadhaar must for ITR filing, new PAN from July 1: CBDT

Tax dept says SC has given ‘only a partial relief’ to those who do not have Aadhaar.
Indianexpress.com 
June 11, 2017
A day after the Supreme Court upheld the Centre’s amendment to the Income Tax Act making it compulsory for assessees to link their PAN and Aadhaar numbers, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) stated that it would be mandatory for those who have Aadhaar to quote it for filing tax returns or for obtaining a new PAN from July 1. The CBDT said that the apex court has given “only a partial relief” to those who do not have an Aadhaar or those who do not wish to obtain Aadhaar for the time being, and therefore, tax authorities will not invalidate their Permanent Account Number (PAN). …

Supreme Court upholds law making Aadhaar mandatory for PAN, ITR but exempts those without it for now

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Jun 9, 2017 
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the validity of the law making Aadhaar mandatory for allotment of PAN and filing of Income Tax(IT) returns but exempted those without it for now until the larger privacy issue is decided.
In effect, those who possess an Aadhaar card must link it to their Permanent Account Number(PAN) card and those who have enrolled and not yet got their Aadhaar card are also exempted from mandatory linkage and the penalising invalidation of their PANs if they don’t link it.  …

Paying house rent to parent, kin? HRA exemptions won’t be that easier

Deccanchronicle.com
Apr 11, 2017
Mumbai: From now on, claiming tax benefits on rent paid under House Rent Allowance rules of Income Tax Act will no longer be that easier.  This especially when you are staying at your parent’s or relative’s place. 
Given the substantial rise in number of fake rent receipts that are being submitted with employers, the income tax department has decided to change some rule, and make them tough too. …

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 

How To Maintain Your House Rent Allowance (HRA) Exemption

Profit.ndtv.com 
April 11, 2017 
Now salaried class taxpayers cannot claim house rent allowance or HRA exemption on the basis of fake rent receipts in name of their mother, father, wife or any other close relative. The Income Tax Department may disallow fake HRA exemptions on basis of guidelines recently issued by the Mumbai ITAT (Income Tax Appellate Tribunal). Now onwards, such taxpayers may have to keep other documents to substantiate payment of rent to claim HRA exemption.

Fake rent receipt won’t help you lower tax burden any more

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Apr 05, 2017

MUMBAI: For as long as anyone can remember, producing fake property rent receipt, often from parents and relatives, has been an easy way to lower tax burden. Such cavalier disregard for tax rule was overlooked by most employers as well as taxman, who possibly felt it was a minor transgression. Perhaps, not anymore. …

Govt notifies simplified ITR form; e-filing to start from tomorrow

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Mar 31, 2017 
NEW DELHI: The government on Friday notified a simplified income tax return form for individuals which will be available for filing ITR for assessment year 2017-18 from Saturday. 
Currently, SAHAJ (ITR 1) is filed by salaried employees and ITR 2 by individuals and HUFs whose income does not include income from business. 
The government has done away with two forms ITR 2A (used by individuals & HUFs not having income from business or profession and capital gains and who do not hold foreign assets). …

Are you an honest taxpayer? Find out

Economictimes.indiatimes.com 
Jul 04, 2016 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes that “Indians are inherently honest”, but a recent survey indicates that if given a chance, 58% of taxpayers will under-report their income to save tax. The online survey conducted last week by ET Wealth got 953 respondents across age groups and income levels. On the face of it, the results of the survey validate Modi’s words. Over 82% of taxpayers have never knowingly given incorrect information in their tax returns and 13.6% have done it just “once or twice.

A mere 4.4% are the bad apples who have under-reported their income many times in their returns. …

I-T Dept yet to comply with CBDT order on publishing names of tax-exempt charities

Moneylife.in  
24 June 2016 
Following repeated directions from the Central Information Commission (CIC), the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had asked the Income Tax (I-T) Department to place in the public domain names of all organisation and entities that enjoyed tax exemption. However, the I-T department has not yet complied with the directions. …

Income tax department to pay interest on TDS refund   

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Apr 26, 2016 
NEW DELHI: The income tax department will now add interest amount to a delayed refund made on excess TDS deductions and will also not litigate with the deductor on this issue in the future, a latest directive has said. …

Choose the correct income tax return form   

Deccanchronicle.com  
Apr 26, 2016 
Every year the government notifies the tax return forms applicable for the current assessment year. This year the tax return forms have been notified well in time just before the close of the financial year on March 3oth. The newly notified forms for the financial year 2015-16 do carry some changes over the previous year’s forms. …

Rules regarding quoting of PAN for specified transactions amended   

Business-standar.com
December 16, 2015
The Government is committed to curbing the circulation of black money and widening of tax base. To collect information of certain types of transactions from third parties in a non-intrusive manner, the Income-tax Rules require quoting of Permanent Account Number (PAN) where the transactions exceed a specified limit. …

I-T dept to use email for issuing notices

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sep 20, 2015
NEW DELHI: In welcome news for taxpayers, the IT department has decided to launch a new system of issuing email notices to which an assessee can respond electronically, obviating the need for a physical interface with the taxman which often led to complaints about harassment. …

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 NEWS

Central Information Commission issues notice to NCW for inaction in sexual harassment plaint
CIC returns RTI plea written in Gujarati
Draft RTI rules: Clause allowing appeals to be withdrawn puts applicants at risk, warn activists
CIC directed Chief Passport Officer to lay down clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report
Information on consumer amenities must be given under RTI: CIC
Cooperative Banks within the purview of the RTI Act: Bombay High Court
More …

Go to NEWS.

Central Information Commission issues notice to NCW for inaction in sexual harassment plaint

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jun 20, 2017
NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission has issued a show cause notice to the National Commission of Women for its alleged inaction on the complaint of sexual harassment of a woman staffer as also for breach of RTI.
The CIC order came on a second appeal filed by the former NCW staffer, who had filed an RTI with the commission for information on the extension of her contract as well as details of the inquiry report on her complaint of sexual harassment against a senior NCW official. The information was denied. …

CIC 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. …

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)

Draft 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. …

CIC 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.

Information 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). …

Cooperative 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. …

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). …

HC 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. …

Students 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. …

Top 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.  …

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.

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. …

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

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 

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. …

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.

RTI NEWS

CIC returns RTI plea written in Gujarati
Draft RTI rules: Clause allowing appeals to be withdrawn puts applicants at risk, warn activists
CIC directed Chief Passport Officer to lay down clearly articulated policy, shared with general public, for re-verification of police report
Information on consumer amenities must be given under RTI: CIC
Cooperative Banks within the purview of the RTI Act: Bombay High Court
More …

Go to NEWS.

CIC 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. …

Draft 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. …

CIC 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.

Information 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). …

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)

Cooperative 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. …

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). …

HC 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. …

Students 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. …

Top 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.  …

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.

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. …

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

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 

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. …

Govt 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. …

Coming 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. …

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.

INCOME TAX NEWS

Aadhaar must for ITR filing, new PAN from July 1: CBDT
Supreme Court upholds law making Aadhaar mandatory for PAN, ITR but exempts those without it for now
Paying house rent to parent, kin? HRA exemptions won’t be that easier
More …

Go to NEWS.

Aadhaar must for ITR filing, new PAN from July 1: CBDT

Tax dept says SC has given ‘only a partial relief’ to those who do not have Aadhaar.
Indianexpress.com
June 11, 2017
A day after the Supreme Court upheld the Centre’s amendment to the Income Tax Act making it compulsory for assessees to link their PAN and Aadhaar numbers, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) stated that it would be mandatory for those who have Aadhaar to quote it for filing tax returns or for obtaining a new PAN from July 1. The CBDT said that the apex court has given “only a partial relief” to those who do not have an Aadhaar or those who do not wish to obtain Aadhaar for the time being, and therefore, tax authorities will not invalidate their Permanent Account Number (PAN). …

Supreme Court upholds law making Aadhaar mandatory for PAN, ITR but exempts those without it for now

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jun 9, 2017
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the validity of the law making Aadhaar mandatory for allotment of PAN and filing of Income Tax(IT) returns but exempted those without it for now until the larger privacy issue is decided.
In effect, those who possess an Aadhaar card must link it to their Permanent Account Number(PAN) card and those who have enrolled and not yet got their Aadhaar card are also exempted from mandatory linkage and the penalising invalidation of their PANs if they don’t link it.  …

Paying house rent to parent, kin? HRA exemptions won’t be that easier

Deccanchronicle.com
Apr 11, 2017
Mumbai: From now on, claiming tax benefits on rent paid under House Rent Allowance rules of Income Tax Act will no longer be that easier.  This especially when you are staying at your parent’s or relative’s place.
Given the substantial rise in number of fake rent receipts that are being submitted with employers, the income tax department has decided to change some rule, and make them tough too. …

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 

How To Maintain Your House Rent Allowance (HRA) Exemption

Profit.ndtv.com
April 11, 2017
Now salaried class taxpayers cannot claim house rent allowance or HRA exemption on the basis of fake rent receipts in name of their mother, father, wife or any other close relative. The Income Tax Department may disallow fake HRA exemptions on basis of guidelines recently issued by the Mumbai ITAT (Income Tax Appellate Tribunal). Now onwards, such taxpayers may have to keep other documents to substantiate payment of rent to claim HRA exemption.

Fake rent receipt won’t help you lower tax burden any more

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 05, 2017

MUMBAI: For as long as anyone can remember, producing fake property rent receipt, often from parents and relatives, has been an easy way to lower tax burden. Such cavalier disregard for tax rule was overlooked by most employers as well as taxman, who possibly felt it was a minor transgression. Perhaps, not anymore. …

Govt notifies simplified ITR form; e-filing to start from tomorrow

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Mar 31, 2017
NEW DELHI: The government on Friday notified a simplified income tax return form for individuals which will be available for filing ITR for assessment year 2017-18 from Saturday.
Currently, SAHAJ (ITR 1) is filed by salaried employees and ITR 2 by individuals and HUFs whose income does not include income from business.
The government has done away with two forms ITR 2A (used by individuals & HUFs not having income from business or profession and capital gains and who do not hold foreign assets). …

Are you an honest taxpayer? Find out

Economictimes.indiatimes.com
Jul 04, 2016
Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes that “Indians are inherently honest”, but a recent survey indicates that if given a chance, 58% of taxpayers will under-report their income to save tax. The online survey conducted last week by ET Wealth got 953 respondents across age groups and income levels. On the face of it, the results of the survey validate Modi’s words. Over 82% of taxpayers have never knowingly given incorrect information in their tax returns and 13.6% have done it just “once or twice.

A mere 4.4% are the bad apples who have under-reported their income many times in their returns. …

I-T Dept yet to comply with CBDT order on publishing names of tax-exempt charities

Moneylife.in 
24 June 2016
Following repeated directions from the Central Information Commission (CIC), the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had asked the Income Tax (I-T) Department to place in the public domain names of all organisation and entities that enjoyed tax exemption. However, the I-T department has not yet complied with the directions. …

Income tax department to pay interest on TDS refund   

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 26, 2016
NEW DELHI: The income tax department will now add interest amount to a delayed refund made on excess TDS deductions and will also not litigate with the deductor on this issue in the future, a latest directive has said. …

Choose the correct income tax return form   

Deccanchronicle.com 
Apr 26, 2016
Every year the government notifies the tax return forms applicable for the current assessment year. This year the tax return forms have been notified well in time just before the close of the financial year on March 3oth. The newly notified forms for the financial year 2015-16 do carry some changes over the previous year’s forms. …

Rules regarding quoting of PAN for specified transactions amended   

Business-standar.com
December 16, 2015
The Government is committed to curbing the circulation of black money and widening of tax base. To collect information of certain types of transactions from third parties in a non-intrusive manner, the Income-tax Rules require quoting of Permanent Account Number (PAN) where the transactions exceed a specified limit. …

I-T dept to use email for issuing notices

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sep 20, 2015
NEW DELHI: In welcome news for taxpayers, the IT department has decided to launch a new system of issuing email notices to which an assessee can respond electronically, obviating the need for a physical interface with the taxman which often led to complaints about harassment. …

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.

HUMAN RIGHTS NEWS

Delhi has 5 lakh strays and here’s why it is bad news
Stray dogs also have a right to live, says Supreme Court
Stray dog attacks: Human rights should come first, NHRC says
NHRC tells ‘vicariously liable’ Delhi to ‘compensate’ 15-year-old raped in public hospital with Rs 1 lakh
Convicts can’t be hanged secretly and hurriedly: Supreme Court
More …

Go to NEWS.

Delhi has 5 lakh strays and here’s why it is bad news

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Jun 9, 2017
NEW DELHI: Earlier this week, an eight-year-old girl was grievously injured after she was mauled by a group of strays while playing outside her house in Rohini. This, sadly, isn’t a one-off incident.
The three corporations have failed miserably in tackling the stray menace: that their efforts have been half-hearted at best is evident from the fact that while SDMC has 12 sterilisation centres, the north corporation has just one. EDMC, amazingly, has none. …

Stray dogs also have a right to live, says Supreme Court

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Jan 18, 2017
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court held on Tuesday that stray dogs too have a right to live and said these could be eliminated only if they became a menace to the society.
A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and R Banumathi dismissed a plea that all stray dogs should be killed in view rising cases of dog bites over the years, even causing death of people. …

Stray dog attacks: Human rights should come first, NHRC says    

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com 
Aug 15, 2015 
NEW DELHI: Concerned over the rising menace of stray dogs which claimed the life of a seven-year-old boy in Jamia Nagar earlier this month, …

NHRC tells ‘vicariously liable’ Delhi to ‘compensate’ 15-year-old raped in public hospital with Rs 1 lakh   Legallyindia.com
June 11, 2015
The NHRC on Thursday reiterated that the Delhi government should pay Rs.1 lakh as compensation to a minor sexually assaulted by an employee of a government hospital in 2013. …

You may like to click on any of the following links:-
* Latest DOPT / CVC / RTI / MOF / CGHS / DPE / RBI  Orders/Circulars; News
* Human Rights – Act/Rules & Court Judgements
* Vigilance Clearance
* Right to Information Circulars/Orders/Decisions
* CGHS Circulars/Empanelled Hospitals/Package Rates

Convicts can’t be hanged secretly and hurriedly: Supreme Court   Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
May 28, 2015
NEW DELHI: Condemned prisoners also have a right to dignity, the Supreme Court has said holding that execution of death sentence cannot be carried out in an arbitrary, hurried and secret manner without allowing death row convicts to exhaust all legal remedies and meet family members. …

UN to appoint watchdog to focus on privacy in digital age   Computerworld.com
Mar 27, 2015
The Human Rights Council of the United Nations has voted in favor of a resolution backed by Germany and Brazil to appoint an independent watchdog or ‘special rapporteur’ to monitor privacy rights in the digital age.

Rights abuse rampant in India: Amnesty   Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Feb 25, 2015
LONDON: Amnesty International has pulled up India, saying impunity is widespread for human rights abuses by state and non-state actors in the country. …

NHRC faults draft national health policy    Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Jan 31, 2015
NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission’s core group on health has observed that rights perspective is missing from the draft National Health Policy, 2015. …

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[dot]in.

INCOME TAX NEWS

Paying house rent to parent, kin? HRA exemptions won’t be that easier
How To Maintain Your House Rent Allowance (HRA) Exemption 
Fake rent receipt won’t help you lower tax burden anymore
Govt notifies simplified ITR form; e-filing to start from tomorrow
More …

Go to NEWS.

Paying house rent to parent, kin? HRA exemptions won’t be that easier

Deccanchronicle.com
Apr 11, 2017
Mumbai: From now on, claiming tax benefits on rent paid under House Rent Allowance rules of Income Tax Act will no longer be that easier.  This especially when you are staying at your parent’s or relative’s place.
Given the substantial rise in number of fake rent receipts that are being submitted with employers, the income tax department has decided to change some rule, and make them tough too. …

How To Maintain Your House Rent Allowance (HRA) Exemption

Profit.ndtv.com
April 11, 2017
Now salaried class taxpayers cannot claim house rent allowance or HRA exemption on the basis of fake rent receipts in name of their mother, father, wife or any other close relative. The Income Tax Department may disallow fake HRA exemptions on basis of guidelines recently issued by the Mumbai ITAT (Income Tax Appellate Tribunal). Now onwards, such taxpayers may have to keep other documents to substantiate payment of rent to claim HRA exemption.

Fake rent receipt won’t help you lower tax burden any more

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 05, 2017

MUMBAI: For as long as anyone can remember, producing fake property rent receipt, often from parents and relatives, has been an easy way to lower tax burden. Such cavalier disregard for tax rule was overlooked by most employers as well as taxman, who possibly felt it was a minor transgression. Perhaps, not anymore. …

Govt notifies simplified ITR form; e-filing to start from tomorrow

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Mar 31, 2017
NEW DELHI: The government on Friday notified a simplified income tax return form for individuals which will be available for filing ITR for assessment year 2017-18 from Saturday.
Currently, SAHAJ (ITR 1) is filed by salaried employees and ITR 2 by individuals and HUFs whose income does not include income from business.
The government has done away with two forms ITR 2A (used by individuals & HUFs not having income from business or profession and capital gains and who do not hold foreign assets). …

Are you an honest taxpayer? Find out

Economictimes.indiatimes.com
Jul 04, 2016
Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes that “Indians are inherently honest”, but a recent survey indicates that if given a chance, 58% of taxpayers will under-report their income to save tax. The online survey conducted last week by ET Wealth got 953 respondents across age groups and income levels. On the face of it, the results of the survey validate Modi’s words. Over 82% of taxpayers have never knowingly given incorrect information in their tax returns and 13.6% have done it just “once or twice.

A mere 4.4% are the bad apples who have under-reported their income many times in their returns. …

I-T Dept yet to comply with CBDT order on publishing names of tax-exempt charities

Moneylife.in 
24 June 2016
Following repeated directions from the Central Information Commission (CIC), the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had asked the Income Tax (I-T) Department to place in the public domain names of all organisation and entities that enjoyed tax exemption. However, the I-T department has not yet complied with the directions. …

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 

Concealed income by mistake? No I-T penalty   

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 28, 2016
MUMBAI: The Mumbai bench of the Income-Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), in a recent order, has taken a benevolent view and dismissed the penalty levied by income-tax officials for ‘concealment of income’ in the hands of a salaried employee. …

Income tax department to pay interest on TDS refund   

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Apr 26, 2016
NEW DELHI: The income tax department will now add interest amount to a delayed refund made on excess TDS deductions and will also not litigate with the deductor on this issue in the future, a latest directive has said. …

Choose the correct income tax return form   

Deccanchronicle.com 
Apr 26, 2016
Every year the government notifies the tax return forms applicable for the current assessment year. This year the tax return forms have been notified well in time just before the close of the financial year on March 3oth. The newly notified forms for the financial year 2015-16 do carry some changes over the previous year’s forms. …

Rules regarding quoting of PAN for specified transactions amended   

Business-standar.com
December 16, 2015
The Government is committed to curbing the circulation of black money and widening of tax base. To collect information of certain types of transactions from third parties in a non-intrusive manner, the Income-tax Rules require quoting of Permanent Account Number (PAN) where the transactions exceed a specified limit. …

I-T dept to use email for issuing notices

Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sep 20, 2015
NEW DELHI: In welcome news for taxpayers, the IT department has decided to launch a new system of issuing email notices to which an assessee can respond electronically, obviating the need for a physical interface with the taxman which often led to complaints about harassment. …

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.