CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
Club Building, Opposite Ber Sarai Market,
Old JNU Campus, New Delhi - 110067.
Tel: +91-11-26161796
Decision No. CIC /SG/C/2009/001653/5755
Complaint No. CIC/SG/C/2008/001653
Complainant : Mr. A. Ravichandran
Block-B, No. 13/B, Paryavaran Complex,
IGNOU Road, New Delhi-110030
Respondent : Director & Public Information Officer
Ministry of Human Resource Development,
Department of Higher education, Technical Sec-II,
Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-110001
Facts
arising from the Complaint:
Mr. A. Ravichandran had filed a RTI application with the PIO- MHRD, Shastri Bhawan,
New Delhi on 30/09/2009 asking for certain information. The PIO- MHRD, Shastri Bhawan,
New Delhi has returned back the Application and the Indian Postal Order to the Complainant
alongwith the letter dated 09/10/2009.
The IPO and the Application was returned with a letter dated 09/10/2009 by the PIO stating
that the Complainant had filed the IPO in favour of PIO-MHRD and not in the name of Account
Officer (Education) MHRD. Aggrieved by the refusal of the PIO the Complainant has filed a
complaint before the Commission on 01/12/2009.
Decision:
Complaint Dismissed.
The Commission sees no merit in the complaint. The PIO has rightly retuned the IPO
since it was addressed to University of Delhi and not to the Accounts Officer as mandated by
Rule 3 of Right to Information (Regulation of Fees and Cost) Rules, 2005. Rule 3 very clearly
provides that:
“A request for obtaining information under subsection (1) of Section 6 shall be
accompanied by an application fee of Rs. 10/-by way of cash against proper receipt or by
demand draft or bankers cheque or Indian Postal Order payable to the Accounts officer of the
public authority”.
Therefore, the Commission sees no justification to interfere with the order of the PIO
returning the IPO of the complainant.
Notice of this decision be given free of cost to the parties.
Shailesh Gandhi
Information Commissioner
07 December 2009
(In any correspondence on this decision, mention the complete decision number.)(RA)