Central Information Commission
Appeal No.CIC/WB/C/2008/00792-SM dated 14.11.2007
Right to Information Act-2005-Under Section (19)
Dated 03.02.2009
Complainant: Shri Vijay Shankar Mishra.
Respondent: DRDO.
The Complainant is present in person.
On behalf of the Respondent, the followings are present:
(i) Dr. S.C. Sharma, NMRL, Ambernath, Scientist-C
(ii) Sh. S.S. Bundle, C-TEC, PIO, DRDO.
(iii) Sh. N.D. Sharma, C-TEC, Addl. Director.
The brief facts of the case are as under:
2. The Complainant had requested the CPIO in five different applications
seeking a number of information in respect to recruitment of diploma holders
and other related matters. The CPIO, in a letter dated 17 August 2007, denied the
information on the ground that the DRDO had been placed in the Second
Schedule of the Right to Information Act (Act) and, hence, was exempt from the
application of the said Act except for issues of human rights violation and/or
corruption. It is against this denial that he has complained to the Commission.
3. During the hearing, we heard both the sides. In one of his letters to the
CPIO, the Complainant had alleged that a number of persons had been appointed
in the DRDO with diploma qualification of less than three years duration while he
had been denied such appointment on the ground that his diploma was of a lesser
duration than three years. He alleges that such differential treatment smacked of
corruption. A careful examination of the contents of his requests shows that, on
the face of it, there is some substance in his allegation that the appointments in
the Diploma holder cadres in the relevant Public Authority could involve some
irregularity verging on corrupt practice. In view of this, we tend to accept the
submission of the Complainant and direct the CPIO concerned to provide the
information sought, if available, within 15 working days from the receipt of this
order.
4. With the above directions, the complaint is disposed off. Copies of this
order be given free of cost to the parties.
(Satyananda Mishra)
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)
Assistant Registrar