Explaining the delay in providing information sought by a journalist under the RTI Act, the ministry officials had pleaded that they are overburdened with work as over 400 RTI were received by it till November besides numerous RTI related court cases and other administrative work.
"In our view it should be possible to minimise the number of RTI applications by uploading most of the information held in this particular division in the website of the department on a continual basis. For example, the files relating to the appointment of CIC/Information Commissioners, amendment to RTI Act and rules, staff strength and other infrastructure facilities for the CIC are most demanded by the citizens," Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra said.
Ordering to put the files on website within one month of the order, Mishra said there would be very little in these files which would come under any exemption clause of the RTI Act hence the Ministry should upload them.
The panel also dropped penalty notices issued to the CPIO considering reasons given by them as plausible enough.
"We would very strongly urge the secretary of personnel and training to review the working of CPIO and to provide additional manpower and other resources so that he can fulfil his statutory responsibility of providing information within stipulated period," he said.
The case relates to RTI application filed by the journalist who sought information related to amendment of the transparency law and rules. The information was not provided in timely manner as official claimed that files are with higher authorities and reply would be provided once these come back to him.