The Print: New Delhi: Friday, 26 June 2026.
The Central Information
Commission (CIC) in two separate orders involving the Steel Authority of India
Ltd (SAIL) has called for greater transparency in recruitment processes and
cautioned public authorities against denying access to record-based information
under the RTI Act.
The Commission, however, accepted SAIL’s submission in one of the cases that the requested recruitment records were no longer available as they had been weeded out in accordance with the applicable record retention schedule, and found no mala fide denial of information.
The observations were made by Information Commissioner P R Ramesh in two separate cases concerning recruitment and selection processes in SAIL.
In the first case, a complainant sought details related to the Junior Officer-2018 examination, including the date of the examination, category-wise number of candidates who appeared, cut-off marks and his own marks.
The CIC said information regarding examination dates and category-wise candidate data, if available on record, would constitute information under the RTI Act and could not be denied merely by invoking Section 2(f).
“The routine and mechanical invocation of Section 2(f) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, has increasingly become a convenient refuge for avoiding disclosure rather than a legitimate statutory ground for denial,” the Commission said.
It further observed that there was “no justification” for invoking Section 2(f) to deny access to existing statistical or administrative data and deprecated the “casual resort” to the provision in cases where information sought was manifestly record-based.
The Commission also said failure to distinguish between requests seeking opinions and those seeking existing records “undermines transparency and imposes unnecessary barriers” on citizens seeking access to public records.
However, noting SAIL’s submission that the recruitment records had been weeded out as per the applicable retention schedule, the Commission found no material to establish deliberate withholding of information and declined to initiate action against the CPIO.
In the second matter, an appellant sought information relating to marks, cut-off scores and merit position in a recruitment process for the post of Operator-cum-Technician (Trainee) at SAIL’s IISCO Steel Plant in West Bengal.
While observing that the information available on record had already been provided to the appellant, the Commission stressed the need for greater openness in recruitment matters.
“The Commission notes that the need for transparency is more in the case of the appointment/recruitment process,” the order said.
Accordingly, the CIC advised SAIL to place details of all stages of recruitment in the public domain, including names of selected candidates, category-wise merit lists and marks secured by candidates, in accordance with Section 4 of the RTI Act. PTI MHS APL
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Commission, however, accepted SAIL’s submission in one of the cases that the requested recruitment records were no longer available as they had been weeded out in accordance with the applicable record retention schedule, and found no mala fide denial of information.
The observations were made by Information Commissioner P R Ramesh in two separate cases concerning recruitment and selection processes in SAIL.
In the first case, a complainant sought details related to the Junior Officer-2018 examination, including the date of the examination, category-wise number of candidates who appeared, cut-off marks and his own marks.
The CIC said information regarding examination dates and category-wise candidate data, if available on record, would constitute information under the RTI Act and could not be denied merely by invoking Section 2(f).
“The routine and mechanical invocation of Section 2(f) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, has increasingly become a convenient refuge for avoiding disclosure rather than a legitimate statutory ground for denial,” the Commission said.
It further observed that there was “no justification” for invoking Section 2(f) to deny access to existing statistical or administrative data and deprecated the “casual resort” to the provision in cases where information sought was manifestly record-based.
The Commission also said failure to distinguish between requests seeking opinions and those seeking existing records “undermines transparency and imposes unnecessary barriers” on citizens seeking access to public records.
However, noting SAIL’s submission that the recruitment records had been weeded out as per the applicable retention schedule, the Commission found no material to establish deliberate withholding of information and declined to initiate action against the CPIO.
In the second matter, an appellant sought information relating to marks, cut-off scores and merit position in a recruitment process for the post of Operator-cum-Technician (Trainee) at SAIL’s IISCO Steel Plant in West Bengal.
While observing that the information available on record had already been provided to the appellant, the Commission stressed the need for greater openness in recruitment matters.
“The Commission notes that the need for transparency is more in the case of the appointment/recruitment process,” the order said.
Accordingly, the CIC advised SAIL to place details of all stages of recruitment in the public domain, including names of selected candidates, category-wise merit lists and marks secured by candidates, in accordance with Section 4 of the RTI Act. PTI MHS APL
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
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