[HumJanenge] PUBLIC GRIEVANCE PETITION: Who is "Transparency Officer" at DoPT

To:
The Department of Personnel & Training, by
the Secretary to the Department.

BY EMAIL

01-March-2011

Kind Attn: Ms Alka Sirohi

Dear Madam

Sub: PUBLIC GRIEVANCE PETITION: Who is "Transparency Officer" at DoPT

As I have oft complained in previous (and pending) Grievance Petitions, the DoPT has comprehensively failed to comply with the mandate of section 4 of the RTI Act 2005 which is administered by your Department. I have suffered great loss, harm and/or detriment thereby.

Taking cognisance of the State's woeful track record in document management and proactive disclosure in my case, the Central
Information Commission (by order of Shri A.N.Tiwari) had directed all Secretaries to the Govt of India to appoint senior level officers (of the level of #2 or #3 in the hierarchy of the department) as "Transparency Officers" within November 2010. This directive dt 15/Nov/2010 of the then Chief Information Commissioner was later ratified by all Central Information Commissioners and duly communicated by a DO dated 18.Nov.2010 to yourself..

It is noteworthy that virtually all Departments/Ministries have complied with the said direction and appointed Transparency Officers well in time, this includes bodies like the Cabinet Secretariat and the PMO etc. The DoPT, however, under your able stewardship is a resolute holdout and has quite properly decided to ignore the said directive as being bad in law. As usual I am in complete agreement with the stand of the DoPT that the CIC is off his rocker and has no powers to issue such directions off his own bat (unless some complainant or appellant first bowls a ball for him to hit you with). I also agree with DoPT that the CIC cannot condone the brazen disregard and contempt for section 4 of RTI Act (which incidentally DoPT delights in instructing other public authorities to flout via DoPT's circulars) and grant public authorities more time to comply than the RTI Act permits.

I therefore pray that I be formally informed by DoPT immediately that there is no Transparency Officer at DoPT (along with brief reasons) so that I can lodge my grievance to Madame President's online grievance facility asking for this wasteful, non-statutory and unlawful scheme of CIC to be scrapped. If, however, the DoPT has appointed / designated a Transparency Officer, his/her particulars may kindly be provided to me. This information is also sought by me u/s 4 of the RTI Act.

Yours faithfully

Sarbajit Roy

B-59 Defence Colony
New Delhi 110024

Tel : 011-2433-4262