(i)The grant of copy should not be refused merely on the ground of the document being an official report; the general rule in regard to this matter being that no copy should be granted of a report of a confidential character and that the officer to whom the report is addressed should, in every case, decide whether a copy of it may be granted.(ii)If the Commissioner considers that the grant of a copy is objectionable, he should reject the application stating briefly his reasons for doing so.(iii)(a)If the Commissioner is satisfied that there is no objection for the grant of a copy and the document is only a record of the office of the [Joint Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner or the Assistant Commissioner] [Substituted by G. O. Ms. No. 275, C. T. & R. E., dated the 16th July 1997.], he may direct the Joint, Deputy or Assistant Commissioner concerned to furnish the required copy or he may direct the party to apply for copies to the Joint, Deputy or Assistant Commissioners concerned.(b)If the document in question be a communication from the Government or the [Board of Revenue] [By virtue of section 10(1) of the Tamil Nadu Board of Revenue Abolition Act, 1980 (Tamil Nadu Act 36 of 1980), any reference to the Board of Revenue shall be deemed to be reference to the State Government of the Appropriate Authority specified in the notification under section 4(1) of the said Act.] the Commissioner shall, in the first instance, address the Government or the [Board of Revenue] [By virtue of section 10(1) of the Tamil Nadu Board of Revenue Abolition Act, 1980 (Tamil Nadu Act 36 of 1980), any reference to the Board of Revenue shall be deemed to be reference to the State Government of the Appropriate Authority specified in the notification under section 4(1) of the said Act.], as the case may be, for permission to furnish the copies or direct the party to apply for copies to the authority which issued the communication.(c)When the Government or the [Board of Revenue] [By virtue of section 10(1) of the Tamil Nadu Board of Revenue Abolition Act, 1980 (Tamil Nadu Act 36 of 1980), any reference to the Board of Revenue shall be deemed to be reference to the State Government of the Appropriate Authority specified in the notification under section 4(1) of the said Act.] accord sanction for the grant of a copy of a document to one individual, the Commissioner may, without further reference to those authorities, grant a copy of the same document to other individuals, provided that the claim of those individuals to a copy is founded on grounds equal to those of the first. In cases in which a copy was given in the first instance to a person, who possessed some special claim to a copy, the mere fact that a copy has been granted to him must not be held to entitle any other person not possessing such special claim, to a copy. Copies of petitions addressed to Government or to the [Board of Revenue] [By virtue of section 10(1) of the Tamil Nadu Board of Revenue Abolition Act, 1980 (Tamil Nadu Act 36 of 1980), any reference to the Board of Revenue shall be deemed to be reference to the State Government of the Appropriate Authority specified in the notification under section 4(1) of the said Act.] may not be granted to private persons other than the signatories to such petition. The Commissioner may, however, grant, on application by the parties concerned, copies of orders passed by the Government or the [Board of Revenue] [By virtue of section 10(1) of the Tamil Nadu Board of Revenue Abolition Act, 1980 (Tamil Nadu Act 36 of 1980), any reference to the Board of Revenue shall be deemed to be reference to the State Government of the Appropriate Authority specified in the notification under section 4(1) of the said Act.] on petitions presented to those authorities, but passages containing remarks on the conduct of officer or which, for any other reason, should not be communicated to the parties or to the public, shall be omitted when such copies are granted. The Commissioner and the other officers of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Administration Department may grant copies of Government orders or other papers which have been published in the Gazette or marked "Press".
