The
Times of India: New Delhi: Wednesday, October 31, 2012.
CIC on
Tuesday directed technical snooping agency National Technical Research
Organisation to disclose information related to alleged filming of its women
employees in toilets using hidden cameras.
Chief
Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra said although the organization is
exempted from making disclosures under the RTI Act, the case was of human
rights violation and hence must be disclosed.
Gurgaon-based
lawyer Naina Kapur had sought information from the NTRO if any of its women
employees had filed a complaint regarding their alleged filming in
organization's toilets using spy cameras and action taken on their allegations.
NTRO refused
to part with the information saying it was an exempted organization under
schedule two of the Section 24 of the RTI Act. The lawyer challenged the
decision before the CIC arguing that the case was one of human rights
violation.
Section 24 of
the RTI Act exempts security organizations listed under second schedule from
making any disclosures under the transparency law provided there are no
allegations of corruption or human rights violation.
There was
furore after news reports surfaced that women employees of NTRO were filmed
inside office toilets using spy cams. Women staffers of NTRO had complained and
an enquiry was also carried out but its results never came out.
"It is
clear that it (information sought) falls squarely within the proviso to section
24. If, indeed, there was any such complaint from any women employees, it would
constitute a clear case of violation of the women's human rights. Therefore, in
our view, the CPIO is obliged to respond to the RTI queries," Mishra said
in the order.
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