Panel awards compensation to woman denied info under RTI Act

Her plea seeking husband’s pay details was rejected as ‘third party’ information

A view of the State Information Commission.

The Tamil Nadu Information Commission has awarded compensation of ₹10,000 to a woman whose petition under the Right to Information Act seeking her husband’s pay particulars was rejected as “third party” information.

The case relates to the petition filed by A.V. Sukanya of Madurai, who sought pay details of her husband, a professor in Alagappa University, Karaikudi.

The information was required to support her alimony claim in court. However, the varsity’s Public Information Officer rejected her petition, stating that it was “third party” information.

Aggrieved over the response of the PIO and the First Appellate Authority, the petitioner moved the TNIC.

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, State Information Commissioner S. Muthuraj heard both parties over the phone. Passing orders in the case, he held that the PIO had deliberately denied information to the petitioner. Knowing well that the details called for by the woman were required to get legal remedy for herself and her son, the public authority refused to part with the same.

Directing Alagappa University authorities to pay ₹10,000 as compensation to the woman, Mr. Muthuraj reminded the public authority the order of the Madras High Court asking the Chief Secretary to issue a circular to all Departments, Public Sector Undertakings and Corporations warning them of the legal consequences of not furnishing information under the RTI Act, 2005.

He also directed the PIO to provide the three months’ pay slips of the employee, legal heir particulars as entered in the service report and other data sought by the petitioner.

The Deputy Registrar was told to send an action taken report at the earliest.