RTI Appeals, pretext of missing records : PIC recent decision heartening‏

Only Summary Portion extracted  from 9 Pages

CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION

(Room No.315, B­Wing, August Kranti Bhawan, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi 110 066)

File No.CIC/DS/A/2013/001788­SA

 (Sh.Om  Prakash  Vs. Land & Building Dept, GNCTD)

Appellant :Shri Om Prakash

Respondent : Land & Building Dep    

GNCTD, Delhi

Date of hearing : 21­08­2014

Date of decision : 29­08­2014

  Information Commissioner

:

Prof. M. Sridhar Acharyulu

(Madabhushi Sridhar)

  Referred Sections

:

Sections 3, 19(3) of the RTI

Act

Result

:

Appeal allowed/

Disposed of

Observation : “Case of Missing File”

Summary: Unless proved that record was destroyed as per the prescribed rules of destruction/ retention policy, it is deemed that record continues to be held by public authority. Claim of file missing or not traceable has no legality as it is not recognized as exception by RTI Act. By practice ‘missing file’ cannot be read into as exception in addition to exceptions prescribed by RTI Act. It amounts to breach of Public Records Act, 1993 and punishable with imprisonment up to a term of five years or with fine or both. Public Authority has a duty to initiate action for this kind of loss of public record, in the form of ‘not traceable’ or ‘missing’. The Public Authority also has a duty to designate an officer as Records Officer and protect the records. A thorough search for the file, inquiry to find out public servant responsible, disciplinary action and action under Public Records Act, reconstruction of alternative file, relief to the person affected by the loss of file are the basic actions the Public Authority is legitimately expected to perform.

-----INFORMATION COMMISSIONER,NEW DELHI

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courtesy:
B.G.Raithatha,

General Secretary,UBREA,Rajkot