CIC: the crux revolves around the issue of whether the respondent has ensured compliance with the laws pertinent in situations of foreign citizens holding agricultural land - Respondent: certain legal action has been taken - CIC: provide update status
10 Apr, 2014O R D E R
Facts:
1. The appellant filed an RTI application on 2-11-2011seeking to know the status of her complaint dated 29-2-2012, and also requested for a copy of office memorandum sentby the CVC to the MHA, acknowledgement sent by the MHA to CVC and copy of reportsent by the MHA to CVC.
2. The responses of CPIO and FAA are not available on record. The appellant filed an appeal with the first appellate authority (FAA) on 12-12-2012.Some letters issued by the CPIO and FAA to the appellant have been handed over to the Commission at the timeof the hearing. The appellant approached the Commission on 24-4-2012 in a second appeal.
Hearing:
3. The respondent was present during the hearing. He stated that this is not the first RTI application filed by the appellant but the appellant had filed a large number of RTIapplications earlier and the respondent has made an effort to provide whatever informationis required.
4. The respondent stated that this matter appears to have been triggered by a family dispute between the appellant and some relatives from abroad who are now living in India.
5. What emerged from the hearing was that while there are a number of RTI applications but the crux revolves around the issue of whether the respondent has ensured compliance with the laws pertinent in situations of foreign citizens holding agricultural land. The respondent stated that they would need to check the updated status on this matter though they are aware that certain legal action has been taken.
6. In the above background, what emerges from the hearing is that the respondent has to provide upto date status of the action taken by the respondent organization on the complaints from the appellant.
7. The appellant did not participate in the hearing.
Decision:
8. The respondent is directed to provide to the appellant, within 30 days of this order, the information sought in para 5 above in context of the RTI application.Appeal is disposed of. Copy of this order be given free of cost to the parties.
(Vijai Sharma)
Information Commissioner
Citation:Ms Usha Kedar v. Ministry of Home Affairs in Decision No.CIC/SS/C/2012/000775/VS/06197