Chandigarh, 26 September(Wishav Warta): The State Information Commission while disposing of an appeal has held that “no one can be allowed to be the meddlesome interloper to hijack the normal functioning of a public authority. “Disclosing this here today a Spokesman of State information commission said that while disposing off an appeal filed by appellant H.S.Hundal, Advocate, versus Public Information Officer, O/o State Information Commission, Punjab.
State Information Commissioner Yashvir Mahajan held that “The Commission finds that it is the duty of the Commission to see that such a blatant misuse of RTI Act should not be allowed. It needs to be appropriately dealt with to secure the faith of the public in this ‘Sun Shine Act’ and remove obstacles in functioning of public authority which would eventually prevent it from focusing on transparency.”
In its order Commission held that a meddlesome interlopers can not be allowed to hijack the normal functioning of a public authority for the fanciful requisitions comprising avalanche of pages. This is a naked misuse and abuse of the RTI Act. The Commission is well within its authority to debar such a mischievous busybody. However, it refrains from it in the overall interest of transparency and accountability in the functioning of the Public Authorities.
In the overall public interest, the Commission authorizes the Public Authorities to furnish him information not beyond one hundred pages. In the event the information sought is beyond the aforesaid limit, he should be allowed to inspect the record to identify the documents not beyond the prescribed numbers. The First Appellate Authority and the Commission can relax the above limit in case he makes a bonafide case of public interest.
