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| SIC directs CPIO to allow inspection of record | | Works executed by Cantonment Board Srinagar | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Dec 13: State Information Commission (SIC) has directed the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) Cantonment Board Srinagar to allow inspection of documents by an information seeker under section 2 (i) of J&K RTI Act 2009 pertaining to works executed by the board from last several years. SIC gave this judgment as the information sought by RTI applicants was huge and voluminous in nature.
Details available with Early Times reveal that information seekers namely Ghulam Muhammad Bhat and Ghulam Rasool Mir on 14-05-2018 had sought information/copies of documents from CPIO of Cantonment Board regarding repair of roads, repair of buildings, repair of lanes and drains, with copies of work done final bills and copies of measurement books for the years 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017- 18. The RTI application was received by the CPIO, Cantonment Board on 22-05-2018 and on 30-06-2018, the CPIO informed the applicants that the information sought involve large files, as such, he should visit his office and mark the required documents. The appellants were also informed that the documents marked by them after inspection would be provided to them on receipt of copying fee. However, instead of availing the opportunity of inspection of records, the appellants filed first appeal with the FAA/Chief Executive Officer, Cantonment Board on 12-03-2018 with the prayer that CPIO should be directed to furnish the information to the appellants.
The first appeal was disposed of by the FAA vide his order dated 18-07-2018 observing thereunder that 3 the CPIO has replied the RTI application of the appellants by advising them to visit his office and mark the documents required by them on deposition of copying fee but the appellants have not visited the office to identify the specific documents.
Aggrieved by the order of FAA, the appellants filed second appeal before the State Information Commission (SIC) on 01-08-2019 which was admitted on 16-08-2018 after making the appellants to remove the procedure deficiencies. In the said second appeal, the appellants have submitted that no information has been provided by the CPIO within the stipulated period and no response has been received by the appellants from the FAA. Accordingly, a notice was served on CPIO to file counter statement to the second appeal filed by the appellants. The CPIO, Cantonment Board filed his counter statement on 24-09- 2018 before SIC Srinagar.
The SIC upheld in its order that CPIO had rightly asked the appellants to visit its office, have inspection of records and after such inspection specify the documents they require so that copies of the same are provided to them.
The order further reads that the appellants have not availed the opportunity of inspection of records. They refused to do so even after the FAA asked them to do so in his order dated 18-07- 2018. The order of the CPIO and that of the FAA is well in accordance with the provisions of the J&K Right to Information Act, 2009. The appeal is accordingly disposed of. The appellants are however, given another opportunity of having inspection of records for identifying the specific documents they require, so that the same are copied and provided to them by the CPIO. The CPIO is also directed to facilitate inspection of records by the appellants, if they so choose and provide the copies of the documents as may be sought by the appellants after having such inspection without charging any copying fee." |
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