Whispers Forum

Request for inspection of personal file of Prof. Saba Beg was rejected under section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act holding it as third-party information. The CIC observed that no larger public interest has been invoked by the Appellant. The CIC referred to Supreme Court judgment in the case of Central Public Information Officer, Supreme Court of India Vs. Subhash Chandra Agarwal in CA No. 10044/2010, 10045/2010 and 2683/2010 and upheld the denial of information.
Comments
In the aforementioned case, the Hon’ble Supreme Court has categorized a variety of aspects that comes under the purview of “personal information” which are exempt from disclosure under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. The personal records, including name, address, physical, mental and psychological status, marks obtained, grades and answer sheets, are all treated as personal information. Similarly, professional records, including qualification, performance, evaluation reports, ACRs, disciplinary proceedings, etc. are all personal information. Medical records, treatment, choice of medicine, list of hospitals and doctors visited, findings recorded, including that of the family members, information relating to assets, liabilities, income tax returns, details of investments, lending and borrowing, etc. are personal information. Such personal information is entitled to protection from unwarranted invasion of privacy and conditional access is available when stipulation of larger public interest is satisfied.
Citation: Prof. Riyazuddeen v. Aligarh Muslim University, CIC/ALMUV/A/2022/668536; Date of Decision: 30.06.2023
Dr Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is a RTI Consultant currently working with IIM Visakhapatnam. She has co-authored the books, RTI Right to Information - Law and Practice and PIO’s Guide to RTI. She offers consultancy on RTI matters and Third party audit. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link www.rtifoundationofindia.com

Elections are due in many states and after a few months and in May 2024 the Lok Sabha elections are due. The tenure of a government is 5 years. But the focus of political parties during the last over one-and-half year of their tenure is on how to win elections. Political leaders spend all their energy on preparing poll strategies, holding public meetings etc. During this the atmosphere is repeatedly spoiled as leaders of rival parties target each other. Thus in effect governments waste the last 18-20 months of their tenure in this way.
Ashish Singh

It is time for us to start calling India by its real name, Bharat. Bharat is the real name of India and is the translation of the ancient name, Aryavarta. The name Bharat has been used for India since ancient times. It is time to close the gap between the two names, India and Bharat, and just call our country Bharat.
Nidhi Jain
Female employees can include parents-in-law for availing CGHS benefits
Wrong message...Please go through the OM..It has been allowed for MALE government employees for the first time. Female employees have been enjoying this facility since years.
Swarnendu Singha

The persistent request by the govt to extend the tenure of a high ranking officer in Delhi reminded me of an incident in MP when there was a repeated request to extend the tenure of an Under Secretary in Finance. The then CM wrote on the file:"Iswar na kare ye vyakti kal na rahe". The file did not come back.
B K Saha former Chief Secretary MP
4 officers likely to be promoted as Addl Secretary
The IIS is Indian Information Service and ISS is Indian Statistics Service and NOT what you have mentioned it is not Indian Inspection Service or Indian Supply Service
Ravi Pipal

It is only in the Air, No will not only do rather will not think, every officer knows that our Hon'ble Railway Minister is ex. IAS ,if any officer will resign, his resignation will be accepted immediately.
D D Sharma
"Seema Haidar- from Pakistan with love "
Seema Haidar's case remains a riddle inside an enigma wrapped in mystery ever since it surfaced.
Worse, the Media allowed free access to the accused, triggering wild speculations. Seema's purported conversion into Hinduism, serves as cannon fodder to politicians, robbing the case of all seriousness, it deserves.
Interrogations moving at snail's pace. Thanks to the laidback approach of our intelligence and security agencies. Details of Narco-analysis test, if at all carried out, on the accused is not known.
Handing over Seema's identification documents to Pakistan embassy seems to give the impression that the case has no ISI angle. But, these are mere conjectures. Nothing is shared with the public-at-large.
A breaking news. Strangely, the reverse case of a married indian woman Anju from Alwar (Raj) has surfaced.She reached Pakistan via Wagah border,to meet her facebook boy friend Nasrulla in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
There is striking dis-similarity in two cases between the two sub-continental cousins.Anju followed rules and carried all travel documents including Pakistani Visa.Legal formalities completed.Pakistan cannot label her as RAW's agent. Seema- Sachin story in reverse.
No wonder,at this rate,we may have more such cases of cross-border love affairs,conversions of faiths culminating in marriages in the times to come ,between two hostile neighbours.
A K Saxena (A former Civil Servant)

Whispersinthecorridor.com has the reputation of providing both sides of the coin. Transferring honest and good officers before their term is over or to a lower-level position is a common practise in both the state and federal governments, and the railways are no exception. Straight branches are chopped first, which is the norm and is religiously followed. The Prime Minister should personally investigate such practises, which were also prevalent in the Banking system and have been reduced to nil to fixed tenure, which has increased credibility.
Rita Mohuta

Unless the Information Commission imposes a penalty, the RTI Act will lose effectiveness and there would be no fear of any action being taken for acts of omission. Was the head of office not aware that the user name and password of RTI is unavailable? If yes, what action did he/she take? Should the head of office not be liable for action? In most such cases, the Information Commission takes an easy path and lets the guilty off the hook. Good of you to bring out the case which would generate some discussions amongst the people.
Shamsher Singh

Information regarding alleged bogus and inflated bills submitted by one person at Mumbai CAT was not provided. The CIC issued a show cause notice for imposing penalty which could not be heard due to Covid pandemic. The PIO informed that the dealing hand who was in-charge of taking out e-mail pertaining to the online RTI Applications of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Mumbai Bench, was deployed on Contract basis. He left the office of Mumbai without any notice and also without giving the password of the mail website. As a result, the office was facing difficulty in taking out the Online RTI Applications. There was no intention on his part to withhold the information to be furnished under the RTI Act by any applicant approaching the CAT, Mumbai Bench. By the time the new Assistant Computer official joined the office in the month, the PIO had been transferred to Kolkata. As a result, he could not reply to the RTI Applications sent on website. The CIC accepted the explanation and observed that notwithstanding the lack of malafide, the PIO is expected to exercise due caution and pro-activeness in matters dealt with under the RTI Act in the future.
Comments
Access to password should not be limited to one individual, specially a contractual person, lest such a situation erupts. Further, a new password can always be retrieved rather than leaving the matter as such.
Citation: T C Gupta v. Central Administrative Tribunal, Mumbai, CIC/CADMT/C/2019/130141; 01/04/2021
Dr Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is a RTI Consultant currently working with IIM Visakhapatnam. She has co-authored the books, RTI Right to Information - Law and Practice and PIO’s Guide to RTI. She offers consultancy on RTI matters and Third party audit. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link www.rtifoundationofindia.com

Has the enemy from the seema-paar fired a low-cost weapon which has the potential of the cluster bomb? While India is under the swooning effect of the charm offensive, and the TV channels run their usual business, someone needs to think the choice of the Indian partner, his ST status, elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. Above all the Hon’ble President has been petitioned for mercy by a woman in distress at home and romantic relationship. Besides she has brought 4 children. There is too much in this charm offensive.
M L Gupta

The death of large numbers of cheetahs has saddened wildlife lovers and it is now clear that the radio collars led to the death of many of the big cats. After the death of 2 male cheetahs within the space of 2-3 days it was clear that something was wrong. But NTCA insisted that the deaths were natural and dismissed suggestions that radio collars were responsible for the deaths despite clear evidence to the contrary. But the next day three more cheetahs were found with similar wounds on their necks caused by radio collars. Thankfully the government has now acted promptly and we hope all possible action will be taken to save cheetahs. We can't afford to lose these beautiful animals again. They have come to our country after 7 decades.
Ankita Singh

The return of PoK to India has been on the cards since 1948. Our best opportunity was in 1971 after the creation of Bangladesh. Regrettably the Government of India wasted that opportunity. Defeat of the Pakistani Army in the East had shattered morale and in a few days PoK could have been retaken and the Radcliffe Award of 1947 fulfilled by us. Unfortunately since then Pakistan has acquired Nuclear Weapons Capability. The Strategy to defeat a nuclear powered state was displayed by US President Ronald Reagan. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. The defeat shattered the Soviet Union economically. This result was achieved by the USA without firing a bullet. Contrast this with the current war in Europe. It has gone on senselessly for 500 plus days, shattered infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia and ruined the lives of people there. Economically speaking, EU is in depression today and apparently worse is on the cards. A lesson for India there . After three years of the once in a century pandemic, the Indian Economy is gathering strength again. Our green shoots will take time to bear fruit. Wars are expensive as the conflict in Europe indicates. Can India afford to go to war today? NO. Pakistan today is an economic mess created by themselves. Their people are migrating overseas by hook or by crook and losing their lives. We have no role in that process. Let the Pakistani government continue in their Merry ways to ruin that country. We should coldly watch and keep our powder dry. The people of PoK will revolt soon. The opportunity will present itself then, as it happened in 1971. Patience is the key for India.
Devendra
Remove encroachments from Yamuna bank
Fully agree with A Agnihotri. Situation can be improved if all encroachments in the Yamuna Bank are removed urgently. Also as mentioned by Agnihotri, thick walls are built on the embankment of the river till Okhla.
S Gopal