CPIO/PIO Cannot Act as Post Offices & withhold RTI info without reasonable cause

Rakesh Kumar Gupta Vs Central Information Commission (Delhi High Court)

High Court held that

i) CPIO/PIOs cannot withhold information without reasonable cause;

ii) A PIO/CPIO cannot be held responsible if they have genuinely rejected the information sought on valid grounds permissible under the Act. Mere difference of opinion on the part of CIC cannot lead to an imposition of penalty under section 20 of the RTI Act;

iii) Government departments ought not to be permitted to evade disclosure of information. Diligence has to be exercised by the said departments, by conducting a thorough search and enquiry, before concluding that the information is not available or traceable;

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