Appellate Authority must sign the First Appeal orders....

[karira]

In a recent decision, the CIC has ruled that the First Appellate Authority should sign all orders:

http://cic.gov.in/CIC-Orders/OK-03042008-04.pdf

During the hearing, the Appellant also pointed out the fact that when he had filed a First Appeal against the PIO’s Decision, he received a reply from the APIO, Railway Board. The Commission takes serious objection to this, as the response to the First Appeal should be signed by only by the Appellate Authority. The Commission held out a warning to the Respondents that this should not occur in future lest the Appellate Authority be held responsible and action taken against him/her.

Please also see the following thread:

http://www.rtiindia.org/forum/693-si...ust-reply.html

[colnrkurup]

When the RTI Act make the PIO or AA responsible, so long as the reply is not signed by the PIO or AA as the case may be, it is as good as not furnished the reply. The PIO or AA can never argue that they have furnished the reply and naturally guilty of not providing the information.I don't think existance of any orders on the contrary.
By the by when the applicant get the information requested duly signed by a person who is competent to have access to that information and empowered to furnish it, I don't think there is any reason to crib even if he is not the PIO or AA.. The problem arise only when the information is denied.