Central Information Commission
Gita Dewan Verma vs President Secretariat on 6 May, 2025
Author: Heeralal Samariya
Bench: Heeralal Samariya
के न्द्रीय सूचना आयोग
Central Information Commission
बाबा गंगनाथ मागग, मुननरका
Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka
नई दिल्ली, New Delhi - 110067
नितीय अपील संख्या / Second Appeal No. CIC/PRSEC/A/2023/655337
Ms. Gita Dewan Verma ... अपीलकताग/Appellant
VERSUS/बनाम
PIO, ...प्रनतवािीगण /Respondent
President Secretariat
Date of Hearing : 01.04.2025
Date of Decision : 11.04.2025
Chief Information Commissioner : Shri Heeralal Samariya
Relevant facts emerging from appeal:
RTI application filed on : 09.09.2023
PIO replied on : 18.09.2023
First Appeal filed on : 22.09.2023
First Appellate Order on : 20.10.2023
2 Appeal/complaint received on
nd : 17.12.2023
Information soughtand background of the case:
The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 09.09.2023 seeking information on following points:-
I had used Rashtrapati Bhawan Helpline to make a petition to the Secretary to the President. Screenshot of the Helpline registration No. PRSEC/E/2023/0030626 (received on 01 Aug 2023 and disposed of on 07 Aug 2023 with Details: FILED) and petition printout are ATTACHED "Please provide
1. File details (number, subject, classification, retention/weeding schedule) of the file in which my petition dated 01.08.2023 has been FILED.
2. Copy of the decision by which my petition seeking reference to the Supreme Court for inquiry was rejected.
3. Copy of communication, if any, to CIC about my petition."
The CPIO, President Secretariat, New Delhi furnished reply dated 18.09.2023 as under:-
1. "The portal petition No. PRSEC/E/2023/0030626 dated 01.08.2023 had been received and the same electronically forwarded to the Secretary, Government of India, Department of Personnel and Page 1 Training, New Delhi for appropriate attention. Status report of portal petition is available on the website http://helpline.rb.nic.in. For any further information in this regard, you are requested to approach the concerned public authority to whom the portal petition was forwarded.
2-3. Further information may be obtained from the Department of Personnel and Training, New Delhi."
Dissatisfied with the response received from the CPIO, the Appellant filed a First Appeal dated 22.09.2023. The FAA vide order dated 20.10.2023 stated as under:-
3. "The matter was considered by the undersigned. It is informed that the information provided by the CPIO, President's Secretariat vide letter No. PRSEC/R/E/23/00944 dated 18.09.2023, holds good. However, in view of the above referred appeal of the appellant, the first appeal was sent to the Section concerned for comments. The Section concerned has informed that this Secretariat forwards petitions to concerned Ministry/Department of Central/State Government. The online grievance in question, No. PRSEC/E/2023/0030626 dated 01.08.2023, was received in the Section on the same day and the same was electronically forwarded to the Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Personnel and Training. Department of Personnel and Training has filed the said petition on 07.08.2023 (copy enclosed). The status of the action taken report is available on the website, i.e. http://helpline.rb.nic.in.
Further information may be obtained from the Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Personnel and Training, i.e the concerned authority to whom the petition has been forwarded. No more information rests with this Secretariat.
4. The online appeal is hereby disposed of."
Aggrieved and dissatisfied, the Appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal.
Written submission dated 24.03.2025 has been received from the CPIO, President's Secretariat and same has been taken on record for perusal. The relevant extract whereof is as under:
"..6. CPIO COMMENTS:
In the Second Appeal dated Nil, the appellant has challenged the reply of the CPIO dated 18.09.2023 and the decision of the FAA dated 20.10.2023, concerning the RTI application of Ms. Gita Dewan Verma, Delhi dated 09.09.2023.
In this connection, it is humbly submitted that a point-wise reply was provided to the appellant as under:
1. The portal petition No. PRSEC/E/2023/0030626 dated 01.08.2023 had been received and the same electronically forwarded to the Secretary, Government of India, Department of Page 2 Personnel and Training, New Delhi for appropriate attention. The status report of the portal petition is available on the website http://helpline.rb.nic.in. For any further information in this regard, The appellant was requested to approach the concerned public authority to whom the portal petition was forwarded.
2-3. Further information may be obtained from the Department of Personnel and Training, New Delhi..."
Written submission dated 29.03.2025 has been received from the Appellant and same has been taken on record for perusal.
Facts emerging in Course of Hearing:
Appellant: Present in person.
Respondent: Mr. Bharat Bhushan, Deputy secretary/CPIO- President's Secretariat- participated in the hearing.
The Appellant stated that the relevant information has not been furnished She stated that different custodians are referred in helpline portal and CPGRAM in reference to her petition/representation. She stated that two mutually inconsistent action history has been provided. She requested to initiate inquiry under rule 11(iii) of the RTI Rules 2012 into further details and facts of the action taken on her Helpline petition dated 01/08/23. She requested to issue recommendations u/s 25(5) for compliance with section 4(1)(d) of the RTI Act in disposal/closure of cases on HELPLINE and CPGRAMS. She further requested to issue direction for publishing information about the Helpline on the portal of the Respondent public authority which currently does not even have FAQ in reference to cases on HELPLINE.
The Respondent stated that the relevant information from their official record has been duly provided to the Appellant. He averred that the portal petition No. PRSEC/E/2023/0030626 dated 01.08.2023 had been received and the same electronically forwarded to the Secretary, Government of India, Department of Personnel and Training, New Delhi for appropriate attention. He stated that the status report of the portal petition is available on their website http://helpline.rb.nic.in. He stated that for any further information in this regard, the appellant was requested to approach the concerned public authority to whom the portal petition was forwarded.
Decision:
Upon perusal of records and submissions made during hearing, it is noted that the Appellant's queries had been appropriately answered by concerned PIO. Furthermore, written submission filed by the Respondent is comprehensive and self-explanatory. Thus, information as permissible under the provisions of the RTI Act has been duly furnished to the Appellant.
Page 3 Commission also observes that information should be easily accessible and should be made available to the public and specifically through the internet. Commission is of the considered opinion that it will be in the best interest of Respondent Public Authority to explore the viability of updating their official website and publish the guidelines/policies related to their helpline/portal petitions. Furthermore, to make the system more user friendly the public authority is advised to create a FAQs Section in reference to the helpline/portal petitions on their official website wherein a brief outline pertaining to the issues flagged by the Appellant be easily identified and relevant information in that regard can be placed in the public domain in keeping with the letter and spirit of suo motu disclosures prescribed under Section 4 of the RTI Act. This will also relieve the public authority from the burden of RTI Applications which are filed merely seeking clarifications in reference to helpline/portal petitions and not any specific record.
In pursuance of the aforesaid advisory, the CPIO is directed to place a copy of this order before their competent authority for taking appropriate action. No further action lies.
Appeal is disposed off accordingly.
Heeralal Samariya (हीरालाल सामररया) Chief Information Commissioner (मुख्य सूचना आयुक्त) Authenticated true copy (अनिप्रमानणत सत्यानपत प्रनत) S. K. Chitkara (एस. के . नचटकारा) Dy. Registrar (उप-पंजीयक) 011-26186535 Page 4 Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-
1. It is recommended to maintain records in digital form for proper management and ease of access in compliance with clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 4 of the RTI Act, 2005.
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