Can copy of leave applications be disclosed under RTI?
21 Jan, 2013Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India seeking copies of leave applications and sanction of leave records of two employees. The Public Information Officer (PIO) denied the information under section 8(1)(j) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen, information which relates to personal information the disclosure of which has no relationship to any public activity or interest, or which would cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual unless the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer or the appellate authority, as the case may be, is satisfied that the larger public interest justifies the disclosure of such information: Provided that the information which cannot be denied to the Parliament or a State Legislature shall not be denied to any person. of the RTI Act.
View of CIC
The Central Information Commission (CIC) directed the PIO to provide information pertaining to the leave record along with designation of the competent authority that sanctioned the leave stating that this information is a public record. The CIC however held that the reasons for availing of leave may not be disclosed as this would have an element of personal information.
Citation: Mr. Yennamsetti Srinivas v. LIC of India in Appeal: No. CIC/DS/A/2012/001377
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2013/CIC/981
Click here to view original RTI order of Court / Information Commission