CIC Criticizes Delhi's Municipal Corporation for RTI Shenanigans

The Central Information Commission has criticized the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for its evasive approach in dealing with RTI applications, particularly in contract-related cases. The commission highlighted a trend of non-compliance with RTI provisions and issued a show-cause notice to officials for obstructing information access.

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has sharply criticized the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for what it describes as a pattern of evasive behavior in handling Right to Information (RTI) applications, specifically those related to contracts.

In a recent ruling, Information Commissioner Vinod Kumar Tiwari stated that the corporation's responses have been evasive and non-compliant with the RTI Act, 2005. Rather than providing the requested information, officials merely advised applicants to visit the office for inspections, which failed to facilitate access to the necessary records.

The CIC's order underscores repeated instances of non-compliance with appellate directions, suggesting a lack of due diligence that obstructs the free flow of information. It issued a show-cause notice to current and former Public Information Officers to explain their failure to provide data and comply with RTI demands.

(With inputs from agencies.)