Guidelines for fixing the selling price of commemorative coin sets sought under RTI
8 Oct, 2012Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the India Government Mint seeking information regarding the wide variation in the pricing of the Commemorative Coin sets (Proof Sets) produced by the India Government Mint in commemoration of the occasion of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. The Public Information Officer (PIO) provided all the information except the copy of the methodology or guideline adopted by the Mint for fixing the selling price of proof sets stating that such information is related to trade secret and commercial confidence.
View of CIC
The Central Information Commission (CIC) observed that such information could not be treated as in the nature of trade secret or commercial confidence. The India Government Mint is a public authority of the Central Government and has the freedom to market the Commemorative coins produced by it at any price it thinks fit. The Commission also observed that the public should know about the methodology it adopts for pricing such products. The Commission directed the PIO to provide to the appellant the photocopy of any record or document including the file noting which would show the methodology adopted by the Mint for fixing the selling price of the Commemorative Coins.
Citation: Mr. Chander Shekhar Patney v. India Government Mint in File No.CIC/SM/A/2011/002204
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2012/CIC/711
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