Central Information Commission, New Delhi
File No.CIC/WB/A/2009/001032SM
Right to Information Act2005Under Section (19)
Date of hearing : 1 March 2011
Date of decision : 1 March 2011
Name of the Appellant : Shri R L Kain
66B, Pocket 1,
Dilshad Garden,
Delhi - 110 095.
Name of the Public Authority : CPIO, Parliament of India,
Rajya Sabha Secretariat,
Parliament House/Annexe,
New Delhi - 110 001.
The Appellant was present in person.
On behalf of the Respondent, the following were present:
(i) Shri Deepak Goyal, JS & AA,
(ii) Shri A.K. Singh, Director & CPIO,
(iii) Shri Prem Singh, DD
Chief Information Commissioner : Shri Satyananda Mishra
2. Both the parties were present during the hearing and made their
submissions.
3. The Appellant had sought a number of information regarding the
passage of a bill in the Rajya Sabha. Although the CPIO had provided some of
CIC/WB/A/2009/001032SM
the information, the Appellant had many objections. Firstly, he had objected
against the CPIO charging Rs 200 for the VCD of the proceedings of the House
as against Rs 50 as prescribed in the RTI rules for a diskette. Secondly, he had
objected to the fact that the dictation taken by the stenographers/reporters of
the proceedings of the house were not provided to him. Finally, he had objected
that the CPIO did not provide him with a copy of the check list duly filled in but,
had instead provided a blank one. Besides, he had also objected that the
documents provided to him were not duly attested/certified.
4. After carefully considering the facts of the case and the submissions
made by both the parties, we are of the opinion that the following information
should be provided to the Appellant:
i) an attested copy of the dictation taken by the stenographers/reporters
of the relevant proceedings; and
ii) an attested copy of the check list duly filled in relating to this particular
Bill.
5. On the question of charging Rs. 200 for the VCD, the Respondents
submitted that this was as per the decision of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
They further submitted that the proceedings of the House were offered both to
the Members and the public in the form of VCD at the rate of Rs. 200 per day
and that this was duly publicised in the Rajya Sabha Bulletin. Since the desired
information is already offered by the public authority against a predetermined
price, we cannot compel them to provide to a citizen at lower rates. In any case,
the RTI rules notified by the Central Government do not have a price for the
CIC/WB/A/2009/001032SM
VCD; it has put a price of Rs. 50 for a diskette only.
6. We direct the CPIO to provide to the Appellant the above two pieces of
information within 10 working days from the date of the receipt of this order.
The appeal is disposed off accordingly.
7. Copies of this order be given free of cost to the parties.
(Satyananda Mishra)
Chief Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy. Additional copies of orders shall be supplied against
application and payment of the charges prescribed under the Act to the CPIO of this
Commission.
(Vijay Bhalla)
Deputy Registrar
CIC/WB/A/2009/001032SM