New Delhi, Oct 6 (PTI) The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) to disclose the rules, policy or other records under which it requires shooters to furnish an affidavit on a non-judicial stamp paper for verification of their date of birth.
The direction was issued by Information Commissioner P R Ramesh while hearing an RTI appeal seeking details of the basis for the affidavit requirement, including the rule or notification under which it was introduced.
The applicant had also sought to know whether the affidavit could be submitted online and within how many days the NRAI approved or rejected a shooter’s identification documents.
In its reply, the NRAI said the requirement was based on the decision of the Prevention of Age Fraud Committee and that a hard copy of the affidavit was mandatory. It also said applications were processed within 15 working days.
During the hearing, the NRAI submitted that the Age Fraud Committee had framed rules and policy regarding the affidavit requirement, which was approved by its Governing Body.
It said the measure was part of steps adopted to prevent and verify age fraud in shooting sport and to ensure proper verification of age particulars furnished by athletes and safeguard the integrity and fairness of competitions.
The commission, however, observed that the specific rule, policy, order, resolution, minutes or other record evidencing the decision under which the affidavit requirement was prescribed had not been furnished to the applicant.
“Merely informing him that the requirement is ‘as per the decision’ of the Committee does not completely address the query,” the CIC said.
It directed the CPIO to furnish the relevant existing records, including the decision, minutes or resolution of the Prevention of Age Fraud Committee and/or Governing Body, along with any applicable rule, policy, circular, order or notification, within two weeks.
If no separate rule, order or notification exists, the applicant should be clearly informed of this and provided the relevant existing record on the basis of which the requirement was introduced, subject to the RTI Act, the commission said. PTI MHS
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