RTI Act Tug-of-War: CIC Calls Out GST Authorities in Rajkot

The Central Information Commission reprimanded the Central GST authorities in Rajkot for withholding information. They argued that blanket denial could suggest collusion with tax offenders. CIC ordered the office to provide aggregated numerical data on arrests and recoveries, barring information rightly exempt under the RTI Act.

The Central Information Commission has taken a strong stance against the Central GST authorities in Rajkot, criticizing them for denying information requests under the RTI Act regarding arrests, bails, and recoveries. The Commission warned that indiscriminate denials could foster suspicions of collusion between the authorities and tax offenders.

Information Commissioner Vinod Kumar Tiwari clarified that while the RTI Act allows for withholding information that might impede investigations, this cannot be applied as a blanket rule. The case arose from an RTI application seeking data on GST enforcement activities between July 2017 and September 2023 in Rajkot.

Tiwari emphasized the need for transparency, ordering the GST office to release aggregated numerical data on enforcement activities, exempting only information that genuinely warrants confidentiality under the RTI Act. The decision underscores the importance of accountability and transparency in public offices.

(With inputs from agencies.)