Civic body resolution records permanent: GIC

[sidmis]

Civic body resolution records permanent: GIC
as reported in the Times of India, 18 Aug 2008, TNN

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has held that
resolutions of the general board held by a municipal corporation are
permanent records and taking the grounds that they are not available
is not reasonable when they have been demanded under the Right to
Information (RTI) Act.

GIC has directed Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC) to conduct a
thorough search of its records in all its branches to look for the
missing resolutions and also, to take required measures as per rules
to lodge a complaint with police regarding the missing records.

Dahyalal Sarvaiya of Junagadh had, under RTI, sought from the public
information officer (PIO) of JMC certified copy of the general board
resolution number 219 of July 29, 1987, of Junagadh Nagarpalika,
certified copy of the map of land bearing survey number 214, and
certified registered sale deed number 2294 of sale of that land.

The PIO informed Sarvaiya that as records were not available,
information could not be provided. The appellate authority deciding
Sarvaiya's appeal informed him that copy of the resolution was not
available. The record clerk at that time, Kishore Vyas, had passed
away and he had not handed over the records. For copy of the ownership
rights and the sale deed, Sarvaiya's application was transferred to
the office of the sub-registrar.

Before GIC, Sarvaiya questioned whether JMC had filed a police
complaint in case the fact that Vyas had not handed over the records
was correct. JMC contended that the resolution was of 1987 and
pertained to Junagadh Nagarpalika which then became Junagadh
Mahanagarpalika and was not on records.

Sarvaiya argued that JMC's contention of the copy of the resolution
not being on record was incorrect and misleading.
...
Civic body resolution records permanent: GIC-Ahmedabad-Cities-The Times of India