Information should be provided free of cost if the period of 30 days is surpassed
28 Oct, 2012Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) Telephone Exchange seeking information regarding a particular mobile number such as when and to whom it was first issued; when its service was started and subsequently stopped and what are the reasons behind its suspension. The appellant also sought detailed information of the call history of that mobile number and the copies of all the bills issued to the subscriber of the mobile. The Public Information Officer (PIO) informed the applicant that the matter pertains to third party hence no information could be provided to him. However after first appeal Rs.24/- was demanded as further fee in order to provide the information.
Proceedings
During the hearing before the Central Information Commission (CIC), the PIO stated that the information related to a third party and only when his consent was received, they requested the appellant to deposit Rs.24/- for supply of information which, however, was not deposited by the appellant. The appellant argued that since the prescribed time limit had been exceeded he should have been provided the information free of cost.
View of CIC
The Commission agreed with the submissions of the appellant and directed the PIO to furnish the information requested by him in his RTI application free of cost. The Commission also warned the PIO to exercise due care to ensure that correct and complete information is furnished timely to the RTI applicant as per provisions of the Act failing which penal proceedings under section 20 may be initiated in future.
Citation: Mr. P.S.Kshrisagar v. BSNL Telephone Exchange Building in File No. CIC/LS/A/2011/004192/BS/0811
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2012/CIC/754
Click here to view original RTI order of Court / Information Commission