RTI Application management system at Bombay Engineering Group & Centre

The appellant sought information regarding deployment of army men to other country (UN & Bhutan) for specific mission like the certified copy of the instructions on the basis of which unit sends its army men to other country, the number of times the army men employees have been deployed to other country since January 2005, the list of Army men who were sent to other country, the criteria fixed for selection of Army men etc.  The reply was delayed and not proper. The CIC held that the RTI application was handled very badly and it shows that the RTI matters are being handled in a very negligent manner. The CIC expressed its extreme displeasure at the conduct of the respondent organisation as a whole for showing such laxity while handling the RTI applications and the correspondence related to it and to the then CPIO for being negligent in handling the RTI application. The CIC directed that the Bombay Engineering Group & Centre, Kirkee office needs to evolve a system to ensure proper receipt & dispatch of the RTI correspondence by the CPIOs/Deemed PIOs/FAAs and maintain a proper record of every RTI application received and replied to by the organisation.

Comments

For timely discharge of duties mandated under the RTI Act, the dak management system of the public authority should be proper. All public authorities should maintain a proper record of each and every RTI application received in the organisation, to whom it is marked for action to prevent misplacement and mishandling of RTI correspondence. If an organisation needs to organise training programmes for the CPIOs and the deemed PIOs to familiarize them with the provisions of the RTI Act, they should contact proper trainers so that mistakes do not happen.

Citation: Gurmeet Singh v. Bombay Engineering Group & Centre, Kirkee in File no.: - CIC/IARMY/A/2019/111340, Date of Decision: 04/03/2021, 26/03/2021, 23/04/2021

Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is an expert on RTI matters and has co-authored the books RIGHT TO INFORMATION - LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Apart from her weekly article here, her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link: www.rtifoundationofindia.com