Whispers Forum

The applicant sought to know about the monthly salary paid to her husband. The PIO claimed that DRDO is an exempt organisation u/s 24(1) of the RTI Act and hence no information could be given. The CIC observed that the DRDO has been placed in the Second Schedule of the RTI Act vide notification No. GSR 347 dated 28/09/2005 by the Central Government in exercise of the power conferred by Sub-Section 2 of Section 24 of the RTI Act. In view of this, except for cases where human rights violation and/or corruption are alleged, nothing contained in RTI Act shall apply to the DRDO. As no case of human rights violation or corruption was made out by the Appellant, the CIC upheld the submissions of the PIO.
Comments
Section 4 (1)(b) (x) calls upon the Public Authorities to disclose the monthly remuneration received by each of its officers and employees. However, Sec 24 (1) says that nothing contained in the RTI Act shall apply to the intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule. Hence, even the information which is required to be pro-actively disclosed under the RTI Act cannot be sought in respect of organisations listed in the second schedule.
Citation: Sarika v. DRDO, RTI Cell, Defence Material & Stores Research and Development Establishment in File no.: CIC/DRADO/A/2019/104760, Date of Decision: 28/01/2021
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is an expert on RTI matters and has co-authored the books RIGHT TO INFORMATION - LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Apart from her weekly article here, her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link: www.rtifoundationofindia.com

What happened on 26th Jan on Republic day, which one always looks forward to for the magnificent parade by our armed forces showcasing many new additions to the fighting power of our army,navy and airforce ,has made us very very sad and angry.It appeared to be a planned sabotage by some goons who were acting on their own or on the orders of those wanting Kassan Andolan for repeal of Farm Laws to be derailed and defamed.They have succeeded in doing so.I wonder who are real criminals.?Those who planned all this storming of the Red Fort and hoisting a communal flag or the police sitting comfortably on the chairs there watching this sacriligious show and not doing anything to prevent it.They need to be booked.Kissans and their leaders had been setting an exenplary behaviour all these two months and they have denied any role in all that voilence and Red Fort incidents.Will some impartial enquiry be held to trace the people behind that carnage?It should be but perhaps it is asking too much of those who could be part of this planned events to finish the peaceful agitation of our kissans.How i wish they had not thought of holding tractor rally on this day.
Aarti Khosla
Fiasco due to farmer's rally
I beg to disagree with the views expressed by AK Saxena on fiasco due to farmer's rally. Farmers were very peaceful in their action. My question is how 3000 police personnel could not stop 100 odd people entering into Red Fort. A wrong notion was created that national flag was replaced with sgpc flag, sgpc flag was shown much below national flag. Why police couldn't stop them re-route red for. Former delhi police commissioner Shri AK Kanta has rightly said "why permission was given by Delhi Police under Central Government to such a big mob with tractors. The dispensation has miserably failed in handling this sensitive issue which concerns 68% of Indian population. Right time GOI which has failed on all fronts
Harish Kumar