The Central Information Commission has served notices on the Public Information Officer (PIO) and Deputy Commissioner of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghathan’s (KVS) regional office in Bangalore, directing them to appear before the Central Information Commissioner through videoconferencing on July 7.
The notices were served on an Right to Information (RTI) appeal filed by activist Shaikh Shafi Ahmed, who sought and was denied information on the principal and a teacher of the Kendriya Vidyalaya here. Mr. Ahmed has been asked to present his case at the National Informatics Centre here on July 2.
In July 2012, Mr. Ahmed sought the service records of Murali Megada, principal of the Kendriya Vidyalaya, and G. Bandge Sharanappa, teacher. He sought information such as their educational qualifications, birth and caste certificates, appointment letters, service verification report, and other documents.
V.C.G. Nair, PIO of KVS, denied his request on the grounds that this was personal information, the disclosure of which bore no connection to any public activity. As it was personal information, it was exempted from disclosure under the provisions of the RTI Act 2005.
Contending that this denial was also against the provisions of the Act, Mr. Ahmed filed an appeal before Isampal, Appellate Authority and Deputy Commissioner of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Bangalore, challenging the denial of information and describing the PIO’s reasons “incomplete and insufficient”.
Mr. Isampal upheld the PIO’s decision.
In his appeal before the Central Information Commission, Mr. Ahmed contended that the service records of government employees were classified as public documents, which, if sought under the RTI, should be provided.
