The State Information Commission has expressed its inability to accede to a request for specific information as it could be “detrimental to the safety or preservation of the record in question.”
The information sought pertained to the number of seats in the post graduation programmes (non-clinical) in the State medical education department and whether there were adequate teachers to teach these subjects
Despite repeated requests by this reporter, the response from the Directorate of Medical Education was inadequate. The requests were made in January-end. The Commission was approached in mid-March with a request to expedite the process.
Last week, the State Information Commission responded saying the information cannot be provided and cited a Supreme Court ruling in support of its decision. The Commission further said, “Indiscriminate and impractical demands or directions under RTI Act for disclosure of all and sundry information (unrelated to transparency and accountability in the functioning of public authorities and eradication of corruption) would be counter-productive.” It also maintained that such questions would “adversely affect the efficiency of the administration”, stating that “the Act should not be converted into a tool of oppression or intimidation of honest officials striving to do their duty.”
Incidentally, the department had responded partially to the first request for information on February 11 and the second request, sent to the appellate authority, also elicited only partial response, though the questions and answers are not confidential in nature.
The State Information Commission responded saying the information cannot be provided and cited a Supreme Court ruling in support of its decision
