The New Indian Express: Mysore:
Friday, March 14, 2014.
The Karnataka
Information Commission (KIC) has slammed the Karnatak University (KUD),
Dharwad, for failing to provide information to an RTI applicant, claiming that
the information sought was ‘confidential’.
In his
application, R N Sathyanarayana, a resident of the city, had sought information
about seven MCom faculty of University of Mysore taking part in valuation works
of KUD. However, the Public Information Officer (PIO), Examination Section,
KUD, returned the application, saying the petitioner has not signed it and it
was not addressed to the public authority. When the RTI application was
resubmitted, KUD told him that the information sought cannot be divulged as it
is ‘confidential’ and the KUD V-C who is the First Appellate Authority upheld
the decision of PIO.
Later, when
the applicant approached the KIC, it was pointed out to him that neither the
FAA nor PIO quoted any provisions of RTI Act under which they have denied the
information.
The KIC found
that the requested information does not fall under the exempted information
under Section 8 and 9 of RTI Act. Accordingly, the KIC directed the respondent
Dr H D Pote, Registrar (Evaluation) and POI, KUD, to provide information to the
petitioner within 15 days and to file a compliance report to the commission
along with the copy of information provided to petitioner.
The PIO was
also asked to attend the next KIC hearing personally along with the action
taken report. It also directed the Vice-Chancellor to give appropriate
instructions to the PIO in this regard.
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