New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) The Central Information Commission (CIC) has pulled up the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) after it did not provide a 2024 recruitment examination questionnaire to an RTI applicant even after two years claiming that it has not been received from the exam conducting agency. The CIC said the explanation reflected a “sheer lack of intent” to facilitate access to information.
Chief Information Commissioner Raj Kumar Goyal also imposed a penalty of Rs 15,000 each on two Central Public Information Officers (CPIOs) of the DSSSB for “gross violation” of the RTI Act, directing that the amount be recovered from their salaries in three equal instalments.
The case arose from an RTI application filed by a candidate seeking copies of her descriptive answer sheet, the online question paper and her responses for the Senior Personal Assistant and Personal Assistant Tier-II descriptive examination held on June 1, 2024.
In a strongly worded order, Goyal said the Commission was “baffled to note the complacency with which the CPIOs have responded” and that it was “clear beyond reasonable doubt that the CPIOs have not bothered” to ensure their replies complied with the RTI Act.
The Commission noted that while the applicant was initially told the information did not pertain to the concerned branches, the officers later “arbitrarily denied the information without referring to any provision of the RTI Act.” It observed that claiming the question papers of examinations conducted in 2024 were “still to be received from the exam conducting agency even in the year 2026” displayed a “sheer lack of intent” to facilitate access to information.
The CIC further said that “DSSSB, having hired an exam conducting agency, cannot plead that the record held by the exam conducting agency could not be procured despite the passage of two years”, while failing to show any attempt to obtain the records in 2024.
It held that the conduct of the officers “amounts to causing a deliberate and intentional obstruction” to the applicant’s right to information.
During the proceedings, a newly posted examination branch officer sought the question paper from the agency through an email on April 30 this year, and the agency supplied it the same day.
The Commission observed that “no such attempt to access the available information was made” by the previous CPIO.
On the applicant’s request for her descriptive answer sheet, the Commission said the CPIO wrongly relied on an internal board policy to deny disclosure and “appears to be oblivious to Section 22 of the RTI Act”, which gives the law overriding effect over inconsistent rules.
The Commission also criticised the officers’ conduct during the proceedings, observing that one CPIO “remained nonchalant”, neither officer “paid any heed” to its interim order and their “disregard towards the provisions of the RTI Act is rather deliberate in the instant matter.” PTI MHS RT
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