Can a Spouse claim copies of the Official Documents?
8 Dec, 2011Background
The applicant sought the copies of a TA of certain amount claimed by her husband along with the copy of the suspension orders. The PIO declined to provide the information under the provisions of 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, claiming that the details relate to personal information which has no relationship to any public activity or interest. Further, the husband of the appellant objected that the information sought by his wife may cause unwarranted invasion to his privacy.
View of the CIC
During the hearing, the respondent submitted that there is a matrimonial dispute between a husband and a wife. The appellant claimed that there is public interest involved in the disclosure of the false transfer T.A. claim filed by her husband. She alleged that her husband has wrongly claimed transfer TA in the form of tickets in her name. The Commission directed the PIO to provide a copy of the TA claims and vouchers as requested by the appellant. Regarding the copy of the suspension order, the Commission held that the Appellant has not been able to make out any case of public interest involved in the disclosure of this information. The decision of the Respondent with respect to denial of a copy of the suspension order was upheld by the Commission.
Comments
Even in cases of exempted information, disclosure of records is permissible in public interest. However, a mere marital dispute is not, by itself, a ground for invoking public interest.
Citation: Smt. Reena Dahiya v. Customs in File No: CIC/SS/A/2011/001037