Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 242 views

    HC Calcutta Anonymous RTI Applications Using Post Box Nos

    Uploaded by

    Midhun Kumar Allu
    The petitioner, an activist for the right to information, filed a writ petition requesting that authorities not insist on applicants providing detailed addresses when submitting requests under the Right to Information Act. The petitioner feared activists could face threats from interested parties wanting to conceal information. The court found that under Section 6(2) of the Act, applicants do not need to provide personal details except for contact purposes. As the petitioner was providing a post box number for contact, the court ruled authorities should not insist on further address details. However, if authorities require more information, they must keep those details private, especially from their websites, to avoid harassment of activists. The court ordered the Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel to circulate this order so authorities

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    HC Calcutta Anonymous RTI Applications Using Post Box Nos

    Uploaded by

    Midhun Kumar Allu
    242 views2 pages
    The petitioner, an activist for the right to information, filed a writ petition requesting that authorities not insist on applicants providing detailed addresses when submitting requests under the Right to Information Act. The petitioner feared activists could face threats from interested parties wanting to conceal information. The court found that under Section 6(2) of the Act, applicants do not need to provide personal details except for contact purposes. As the petitioner was providing a post box number for contact, the court ruled authorities should not insist on further address details. However, if authorities require more information, they must keep those details private, especially from their websites, to avoid harassment of activists. The court ordered the Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel to circulate this order so authorities

    Original Description:

    Judgment of High Court of Calcutta on using PO Box Numbers for RTI Applications.

    Copyright

    © Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The petitioner, an activist for the right to information, filed a writ petition requesting that authorities not insist on applicants providing detailed addresses when submitting requests under the Right to Information Act. The petitioner feared activists could face threats from interested parties wanting to conceal information. The court found that under Section 6(2) of the Act, applicants do not need to provide personal details except for contact purposes. As the petitioner was providing a post box number for contact, the court ruled authorities should not insist on further address details. However, if authorities require more information, they must keep those details private, especially from their websites, to avoid harassment of activists. The court ordered the Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel to circulate this order so authorities

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    242 views2 pages

    HC Calcutta Anonymous RTI Applications Using Post Box Nos

    Uploaded by

    Midhun Kumar Allu
    The petitioner, an activist for the right to information, filed a writ petition requesting that authorities not insist on applicants providing detailed addresses when submitting requests under the Right to Information Act. The petitioner feared activists could face threats from interested parties wanting to conceal information. The court found that under Section 6(2) of the Act, applicants do not need to provide personal details except for contact purposes. As the petitioner was providing a post box number for contact, the court ruled authorities should not insist on further address details. However, if authorities require more information, they must keep those details private, especially from their websites, to avoid harassment of activists. The court ordered the Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel to circulate this order so authorities

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    You are on page 1of 2

    1

    10
    ns

    20.11. 2013

    W.P. 33290(W) of 2013


    Mr. Avishek Goenka Mr. Asish Kumar Roy, Ms. Gargi Mukherjee . petitioner (in person).

    For the respondents.

    The petitioner is appearing in person. The writ petitioner claiming to be an activist in the field of right to information, has approached us by filing the present writ petition with the prayer, the authority should not insist upon the detailed address of the applicant as and when any application is made under the Right to Information Act. He apprehends, the interested parties would cause a threat to the activist and in fact there had been past incidents of unnatural deaths of activist in the field, presumably by the interested persons having vested interest to conceal the information that is asked for by the activist. The petitioner submits, the authority may not insist upon the detailed address particularly when the applicant would provide a particular post box number that would automatically conceal their identity to the public at large. We have considered the relevant provisions of the statute. Section 6(2) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 would clearly provide, an applicant making request for information shall not be required to give any reason for requesting the information or any other personal

    details

    except

    those

    that

    may

    be

    necessary

    for

    contacting him. Looking to the said provision, we find logic in the submission of the petitioner. When the legislature thought it fit, the applicant need not disclose any personal detail, the authority should not insist upon his

    detailed whereabouts particularly when post box number is provided for that would establish contact with him and the authority. In case, the authority would find any difficulty with the post box number, they may insist upon personal details. However, in such case, it would be the solemn duty of the authority to hide such information and particularly from their website so that people at large would not know of the details. We thus dispose of this writ petition by making the observations as above. The Secretary, Ministry of Personnel should circulate the copy of this order to all concerned so that the authority can take appropriate measure to hide information with regard to personal details of the activist to avoid any harassment by the persons having vested interest. The writ petition is disposed of without any order as to costs. Urgent certified copy of this order, if applied for, be given to the parties, on priority basis.

    ( Banerjee, Acting Chief Justice)

    ( Debangsu Basak, J.)

    You might also like