[HumJanenge] Disclosure of Annual Property Statement of Officer is exempted under RTI Act, says Odisha Chief Information Commissioner.

 

 Disclosure of Annual Property Statement of Officer is exempted under RTI Act, says Tarun Kanti Mishra, Odisha Chief Information Commissioner.

 Bhubaneswar:  While disposing a complaint petition (CC No-1772/2010)   on 30.7.12, Mr. Tarun Kanti Mishra , State Chief Information Commissioner  Annual  Property Statement  of  an Officer  can not be disclosed under section 8(1)(j) and 8(1)(e) of the RTI Act.

 Mr. Pradip Pradhan, RTI Applicant had submitted application to the PIO , Department of  Industries, Odisha, Cuttack seeking information  regarding  property statement  of B.B.Dhal, General Manager, DIC, Ganjam , no. of Govt. residential quarters  allotted in favour of  DIC, Ganjam and list of present occupant  of these quarters etc. On receiving  the information, the PIO transferred  application to the PIO,  Directorate of Industries   to provide the information to the applicant. On 6.8.2010, the PIO intimated  to the applicant  that the property statement of B.B.Dhal, General Manager is not  available in the Directorate. For balance information, the PIO requested  the General Manager , DIC Ganjam  to provide the information. The PIO, DIC, Ganjam  provided  the information except property statement of B.B.Dhal, General Manager.

 Finding no  information  about said property statement, Mr. Pradip Pradhan filed  a complaint petition  to the State Information Commission. Mr. Tarun Kanti Mishra  heard the case  and  disposed it on 30.7.12. The Commission observed that  property statement  is  retained  by the public authority  in sealed cover  under  proper secrecy and used only  when the public servant faces  a charge  or an enquiry. It can not be said as a public information. Such information  furnished  to various public authorities  by the public servant  remains confidential. It is covered  under section 8(1)(j) of the Act  and  can not be routinely disclosed. The property statement  is also attracted  the exemption  under section 8 (1)(e) of the RTI Act.  

 Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act  says "  information which relates  to personal information  the disclosure of which  has no relationship  for any public authority  to any public activity  or interest , or which  would cause unwarranted invasion of privacy  of the individual  can not be disclosed unless  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."

 Section 8(1)(e) of the Act says "information available  to a person  in his fiduciary  relationship can not be disclosed  , unless the competent  authority  is satisfied that  the larger public interest  warrants  the disclosure  of such information"  

 Being  disturbed  and dissatisfied  with the decision of the Commission, Mr. Pradhan   says   this decision is against letter  and spirit  of RTI Act  and he  thinks of challenging  it  in Odisha  High Court.

 

Pradip Pradhan

M-99378-43482

Date- 7.8.12