CIC to not return appeals for non-submission of photo ID

The Central Information Commission (CIC) will not return RTI appeals and complaints merely on account of non-submission of photo ID of the applicant, Rajya Sabha was informed today.
RTI rules do not specifically provide for furnishing of photo identity document along with appeals and complaints, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh, said in response to a written question.
"However, in compliance with directions contained in order dated November 2, 2012 of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana in CWP no. 4787/2011 in case of Fruit Merchant Union Vs CIC and Others, the appellants were asked to provide their photo ID proof along with other documents, while filing appeal/ complaints in Central Information Commission," it said.

He said, however, that the Commission has decided that no appeal or complaints would be returned merely on account of non-submission of photo ID by the appellant.
In a separate response, the Minister said that a total of 1,54,512 RTI applications were pending with various public authorities as on September 30, 2015.
He said that in 2012-13, 8,86,681 RTI applications were received by various public authorities of which 62,231 were rejected, in 2013-14 a total of 9,62,630 were received of which 60,127 were rejected.

Further, in 2014-15, 8,45,032 were received with 63,351 of them being rejected and, in 2015-16 (till September 30, 2015) 3,76,435 applications have been received of which 25,792 were rejected.

"The RTI Act provides that a request for information may be rejected if it is covered under exemption clauses of Section 8 or Section 9.
"Also, information pertaining to a third party is to be provided only after giving third party a notice, who may, in turn, object to providing such information," he said.