The Hindu:
Kochi: Sunday, 23 February 2020.
Deputy
Electoral Office had refused to provide information sought by RTI activist
The
State Information Commission (SIC) has directed the Deputy Chief Electoral
Officer, Thiruvananthapuram, to provide an applicant the information regarding
the polling booths where the CCTV/web casting facilities were provided in the
last Lok Sabha elections in the State.
The
commission also directed the officer to give a copy of the footage of the
polling booths where 90% polling was reported.
The
commission passed the order on Friday on an appeal filed against the Deputy
Electoral Office's refusal to provide the information.
The
Deputy Electoral Officer dismissed the plea on the ground that permission from
the Election Commission was awaited.
The
Deputy Electoral Officer had said the videograph or CCTV footage would be kept
in the safe custody of the district election office till the expiry of 45 days
from the date of declaration of the results. If any one applied for copies of
such recording during the period, a copy would be made available on payment of
₹50 on a CD.
The
commission said the contention that permission from the Election Commission had
been awaited was untenable under the RTI Act. The argument that the Chief
Electoral Officer did not maintain details of the polling booths which recorded
more than 90% polling did not hold good as the respondent office is a
repository of all such information.
The
commission passed the order on an appeal filed by RTI activist D.B. Binu.
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