Re: [HumJanenge] Cabinet Secretariat let off easily on Missing Files case

CIC is an statutory body and not a seat of saint or clergy for deivering sermons.  CIC should have asked for fixing responsibilty for lost file, registration of FIR.  Such mild approach will encourage other Public Authorities to take the same plea before CIC.  I remember in my case of loss of file, Mrs. Annapurna Dixit, IC has ordered registration of FIR.

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From: Sidharth Misra <sidharthbbsr@gmail.com>
To: humjanenge@googlegroups.com
Sent: Thursday, 19 January 2012 7:00 AM
Subject: [HumJanenge] Cabinet Secretariat let off easily on Missing Files case

Hello friends,

Contrary to what this news items says,  IC Satyananda actually Let off
the staffs of Cabinet Secretariat with a mild sermon on a missing /
lost file case.

He could have done much more on this matter. May be he did not want to
displease them.


http://goo.gl/ZlbgM

New Delhi, Jan 18 (PTI) The CIC has pulled up the Cabinet Secretariat
for failing to trace records that led to issuance of a circular in
1975 which requires the Prime Minister's nod for setting up a high
level committee or commission. The failure of the Cabinet Secretariat
to locate this file related to such an important circular drew flak
from Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra for poor record
keeping in such an important office. "This shows the state of
maintenance of public records, even such important records. The Right
to Information (RTI) Act mandated the public authorities to catalogue
and index their records and computerise such records. More than six
years after this act came into being, the government at the highest
level has not been able to do so," Mishra said. Mishra was hearing the
petition of activist Raj Mangal Prasad who had sought from the Cabinet
Secretariat a copy of records and files which led to issuance of the
circular issued in 1975 which requires permission of the Prime
Minister before setting any high-level committee or commission. When
the Central Public Information Officer at the Cabinet Secretariat did
not provide any response he filed an appeal with higher authorities in
the Secretariat. The higher authorities ordered disclosure of the
records. During the hearing before the CIC, the CPIO said despite best
efforts in the record room, the file could not be traced and hence the
records cannot be provided. In his order, Mishra said he could not
compel the CPIO to produce the records as they are untraceable. "We
hope the authorities will pay attention to this at the earlierst and
set out not only to computerise the records but also to index and
catalogue them in the manner expected in Section 4 (1)(a) of the RTI
Act," Mishra said.