Respond to RTI query seeking details of deaths on suspicion of cow slaughter: CIC to MHA

The Central Information Commission has directed the Union home ministry to respond to an RTI applicant who wanted to know the number of people killed between 2010 and 2017 on suspicion of cow slaughter. Sameer Khan filed the RTI application with the ministry seeking to know state-wise statistics of a number of people killed and injured in incidents related to cow slaughter, their names and compensation paid by the government to the families of the victims.

The ministry did not respond to the application following which Khan approached the Commission, the highest appellate authority in the matter of RTI, seeking directions to the ministry to furnish the information. The facts provided by the applicant make clear that no response has been furnished to him, Chief Information Commissioner Sudhir Bhargava noted.

He said under the RTI Act it is mandatory to respond to RTI applications within a given period. Bhargava said since neither the applicant nor the respondent (MHA) appeared for hearing in spite of notice from the Commission, the situation is not clear.

The Commission directed the central public information officer, home ministry, to furnish a response, in accordance with the provisions of the RTI Act, to the applicant within four weeks. In case any information has been provided to the applicant, a copy of that response should be provided to the Commission along with a copy to the applicant, Bhargava said.

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