Times of India: New Delhi: Wednesday, September 27, 2017.
Should
information on child abuse cases be exempt from the right to information act?
The national commission for protection of child rights (NCPCR) certainly seems
to think so, refusing to divulge information to an RTI applicant seeking
details of number of complaints received as well as cases pending for over two
years by NCPCR.
The CIC
however, has come out strongly against the NCPCR decision, directing that
information barring the name and personal details of children be provided
within 15 days.
RTI applicant
Ajit Kumar Singh had asked for details of cases in the Bihar Circle, but was
denied information by NCPCR under section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act 2005. The
section exempts personal information from being provided under RTI unless it
serves a larger public interest.
Singh had
sought information on the number of complaints received by NCPCR, a copy of
inquiry proceedings in such complaints, date-wise decisions of cases where the
accused were found guilty.
"It is
absolutely not convincing that NCPCR is refusing information about action taken
on complaints pending since years before it," information commissioner
Sridhar Acharyulu said in his order. He also said that NCPCR used the privacy
exception to refuse the entire information. No effort was made to provide
information which could have been disclosed under a pro-active disclosure
clause of the RTI Act, Section 4(1)(b), he added. The CIC issued show cause
notices to NCPCR officials for not giving information on cases pending before
it, without justification.
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