Moneycontrol: New Delhi: Friday, 5th June 2026.
The commission also cautioned the Public Information Officer to exercise due care while invoking exemption clauses and ensure that information is not denied without proper justification, especially in matters involving public interest and public accountability.
The CIC directed the
railway authorities to provide a revised point-wise reply and furnish the
requested information free of cost after severing any commercially sensitive
details, if required, in accordance with the RTI Act.
The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the West Central Railway to furnish records related to redevelopment and construction works carried out at a railway station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, stating the information could not be denied under provisions relating to personal information and commercial confidence.
The directive followed a complaint seeking copies of documents concerning the redevelopment of the Narmadapuram railway station in Madhya Pradesh, including work orders, estimates, drawings, and related records under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The railway authorities had denied the information citing exemptions under Sections 8(1)(j) and 8(1)(d) of the Act.
During the hearing, the respondent railway officials submitted that the information sought was exempt from disclosure under the RTI Act. However, they voluntarily agreed to provide a revised reply to the complainant in response to the RTI application. Information Commissioner Swagat Das pulled up the railway authorities for denying the information, holding that the rejection under Section 8(1)(j), which deals with personal information, was ”misplaced and untenable” as the provision had ”no applicability in the present case”.
The commission also found that Section 8(1)(d), relating to commercial confidence, had been invoked in a ”mechanical and unjustified manner” without demonstrating how disclosure would harm the competitive position of any third party. Observing that the information sought related to redevelopment works at a railway station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and utilisation of public funds, the commission said such details ”squarely fall within the ambit of larger public interest”. ”The Commission takes a serious view of such casual and improper denial of information, particularly in matters involving public works and transparency in governance,” the order said.
The CIC directed the railway authorities to provide a revised point-wise reply and furnish the requested information free of cost after severing any commercially sensitive details, if required, in accordance with the RTI Act. The commission also cautioned the Public Information Officer to exercise due care while invoking exemption clauses and ensure that information is not denied without proper justification, especially in matters involving public interest and public accountability.
The commission also cautioned the Public Information Officer to exercise due care while invoking exemption clauses and ensure that information is not denied without proper justification, especially in matters involving public interest and public accountability.
The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the West Central Railway to furnish records related to redevelopment and construction works carried out at a railway station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, stating the information could not be denied under provisions relating to personal information and commercial confidence.
The directive followed a complaint seeking copies of documents concerning the redevelopment of the Narmadapuram railway station in Madhya Pradesh, including work orders, estimates, drawings, and related records under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The railway authorities had denied the information citing exemptions under Sections 8(1)(j) and 8(1)(d) of the Act.
During the hearing, the respondent railway officials submitted that the information sought was exempt from disclosure under the RTI Act. However, they voluntarily agreed to provide a revised reply to the complainant in response to the RTI application. Information Commissioner Swagat Das pulled up the railway authorities for denying the information, holding that the rejection under Section 8(1)(j), which deals with personal information, was ”misplaced and untenable” as the provision had ”no applicability in the present case”.
The commission also found that Section 8(1)(d), relating to commercial confidence, had been invoked in a ”mechanical and unjustified manner” without demonstrating how disclosure would harm the competitive position of any third party. Observing that the information sought related to redevelopment works at a railway station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and utilisation of public funds, the commission said such details ”squarely fall within the ambit of larger public interest”. ”The Commission takes a serious view of such casual and improper denial of information, particularly in matters involving public works and transparency in governance,” the order said.
The CIC directed the railway authorities to provide a revised point-wise reply and furnish the requested information free of cost after severing any commercially sensitive details, if required, in accordance with the RTI Act. The commission also cautioned the Public Information Officer to exercise due care while invoking exemption clauses and ensure that information is not denied without proper justification, especially in matters involving public interest and public accountability.
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