Information commissioner summons apex court official

[karira]

In the first summons ever to a Supreme Court official, the Central Information Commission has asked the senior functionary to explain his failure to respond to a Delhi resident's plea for information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.


Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah issued directions April 2 to the apex court's administrative registrar for a personal appearance at the commission at 12 noon on May 25.


Habibullah asked the official to explain why he should not pay a penalty of Rs.250 for each day of denying the requisite information to Zilley Singh. According to the RTI, a maximum penalty of Rs.25,000 can be imposed.
The official was asked to provide the requisite information to Zilley Singh within 10 days of the order.


Zilley Singh had filed an application before the apex court in a case related to perjury and wanted to know its status.


He complained to the commission Sep 22 last year that his request submitted to the administrative registrar, also functioning as chief public information officer under the RTI Act, had not been responded to. He had applied for the information May 10, 2006.


An administrative registrar's post is equivalent to that of a district court judge. After promotion as registrar general of the apex court, the official could be elevated to high court judge.


This is the second time the CIC has come out with a ruling against the Supreme Court in its bid to infuse more transparency in the administrative functioning of the court.


In a path-breaking order March 23, the commission had directed the department of justice under the law ministry to make public a file on the appointment of Justice Vijender Jain as chief justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.


The order has given the department of justice a month's time till April 22 to disclose to Aggarwal 'all file notings and opinion of the Supreme Court Collegium's member judges on the appointment file'.


President A.P.J Abdul Kalam had in October last year returned the file for Jain's appointment to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh raising some queries.


Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan, at a press meet Sunday, refused to answer IANS' queries on the CIC orders, saying that they were not on the agenda of the conference.

Information commissioner summons apex court official

[agarwalas]

What is the outcome in both the cases?

[karira]

1. Regarding the Supreme Court, there is a decision on the CIC website
but it seems to be a broken link.
Please see:

Can any one open this pdf file on CIC website ?

(Do you think it is "genuine" problem with the link or someone trying to play "mischief" ?)

2. The other case re Justice Vijender Jain has been granted a stay by Delhi HC.
Please see the following thread:

Delhi HC stays CIC order on Justice Jain's appointment