The Information Commission of Rajasthan has directed the state chief secretary to appoint Public Information Officer in offices of all ministers within a month and ensure that information is provided under the Right to Information Act.
Deciding on an appeal recently, the Commission held the office of ministers as public authority and expressed surprise that there was no proper arrangement for providing information from offices of ministers.
Information Commissioner Ashutosh Sharma passed an order directing the chief secretary to appoint state PIOs and first appellate authority in the offices of the state ministers within a month so that information could be provided under the RTI.
The order was passed on the appeal of one Gaurishannkar Malu, who was denied information under the RTI Act by the rural development and panchayati raj department as the information was related with the minister's office.
While deciding the appeal, the commissioner said offices of ministers are public authority and liable to answer under the RTI.
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