Is PIO only a dispatch office

[baburaok]

I have some bitter experiences with RTI applications that I made to a research institute. CPIO simply forwards the replies received from whoever he has sent my application without even looking into whether the answers given are proper or complete. After pointing out the quesions unanswered, he will again do the same thing. He says he is not responsible for the answers given or not given. Then what is the role of the PIO?

Is there any rule that the application should be submitted to APIO only and not to the PIO? I was asked to do so.

In a case related to the death of a colleague in an accident at work, I had asked for all correspondence between this institute and its head quarters in Delhi. They gave only a few selected letters. On reading through the letters, I found several cross references missing from the information given to me. Then I asked for file verification. They took considerable time and finally gave me a time. Then I noted that the file was sanitised and some relevant documents were removed from it from the cross references. When I asked for those documents. There was no response. First appeal was made. AA on the 45 th day sends a four line letter requesting me to look into the file for the documents requested. I sent a refusal staing that I had already done so and asked AA/PIO could locate those documents in the file and give to me.

Is the next course only second appeal or any other choice available to make them part with the information supposedly missing from the vigilance file.

Thanks in anticipation,

baburaok

[karira]

baburaok,

1. The PIO cannot be the repository of all the informtion in the Public Authority.
Sections 5 and 7 define in some way the duties of the PIO.
If the PIO takes assistance of some other officer in gathering the information, this
"other" officer becomes a deemed PIO.
While providing the information thus collected, the PIO cannot be reasonably
expected to check the information for correctness or completeness.
In such cases, you have the next step of filing for First Appeal.
During the First Appeal, it will become amply clear as to which officer gave the
incorrect and incomplete information.

2. Regarding your particular querry, I feel that you should have inspected the file
once again, just to make sure if the missing letters/correspondance had not
reappeared again.
If they had not, you could have then filed Second Appeal before the CIC/SIC.
Presuming that the documents are still missing and now that you have all the
reference numbers with you, just file another RTI application with the same PIO
asking for the inspection of ALL those letters which are missing (quote them by
their reference numbers and dates). The PA cannot escape from this unless they
claim that they have destroyed the correspondance.

[colnrkurup]

I also feel that you should avail the offer to cary out the file inspection again. Try to note down the particulars of all the missing critical leters of importance to you. Make a fresh application to the same PIO seeking copies of those letters. In case the reply is that those letters are missing, things are more easy. Good luck.

[sngupta]

Friends,
PIO is not a despatch office it is duty of PIO to ensure the information as asked by applicant. Mrs Aruna Rai on the occassion of first anniversary of Rajasthan Information Commission emphasized on section 4 of RTI act 2005. If we work for section 4 we will be in position to make the system more transparent and accountable and our so many querries will finish.