Central Information Commission
Nitin Singhvi vs Ministry Of Environment & Forests on 10 April, 2026
CIC/MOENF/A/2025/641265
के ीय सूचना आयोग
Central Information Commission
बाबा गंगनाथ माग,मुिनरका
Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka
नई द ली, New Delhi - 110067
ि तीय अपील सं या / Second Appeal No. CIC/MOENF/A/2025/641265
Nitin Singhvi ... अपीलकता/Appellant
VERSUS
बनाम
CPIO: Scientist-"C"-(Project
Elephant) & CPIO, Ministry ... ितवादीगण/Respondents
of Environment., Forests &
Climate Change, Project
Tiger & Elephant Division,
New Delhi
Relevant dates emerging from the appeal:
RTI : 18.07.2025 FA : 01.08.2025 SA : Nil.
CPIO : 31.07.2025 FAO : 26.08.2025 Hearing : 08.04.2026
Date of Decision: 08.04.2026
CORAM:
Hon'ble Commissioner
Shri P R Ramesh
ORDER
1. The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 18.07.2025 seeking information on the following points:
Under RTI please provide a copy of the report submitted in the year 2025 by the Wildlife Institute of India to the MoEF&CC named Annual Progress Report on the Captive Elephant Database Project.
2. The CPIO replied vide letter dated 31.07.2025 and the same is reproduced as under:-
Page 1 of 6CIC/MOENF/A/2025/641265 "The development of a genetic database for captive elephants across India is currently in progress. The report submitted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is in draft form, remains incomplete, and is under review by the Ministry. It can only be shared once it has been finalized and formally approved by the Ministry.
However, the copy of the letter issued by the Ministry on 25.04.2025 is attached."
3. Dissatisfied with the response received from the CPIO, the Appellant filed a First Appeal dated 01.08.2025 alleging that the information provided was incomplete, false and misleading. The FAA vide order dated 03.01.2025 observed as under:-
"The report sought through RTI application, as submitted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), is presently at the draft stage and under evaluation. Disclosure of such draft reports, being part of the ongoing decision-making process, aligns with the spirit of the exemption under Section 8(1)(i) With only half the database available, the disclosure of information would raise concerns regarding the safety of unprofiled elephants as they would be prone to illegal transfer, selling and smuggling. Keeping above in view the decision taken by the CPIO is correct. No further action is required at this stage. The appeal is accordingly disposed."
4. Aggrieved and dissatisfied, the Appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal dated Nil.
Facts emerging in Course of Hearing:
Appellant: Not present Respondent: Dr. Ajay Mathew George, Scientist C/ Project Elephant- participated in the hearing.
5. A written submission has been received from the Appellant and same has been taken on record for perusal. The relevant extract whereof is as under:
Page 2 of 6CIC/MOENF/A/2025/641265 "..1. That, the draft report titled "State Wise Captive Elephant Database Report" is not a paper meant for deliberation, but only a document prepared by the scientists of the Wildlife Institute of India.
2. That, no deliberation was pending at the level of MoEF&CC, as is clear from its own letter dated 25.04.2025 (attached) directing the Wildlife Institute of India to resubmit the report, which was issued well before the RTI application dated 18.07.2025. Therefore, the CPIO has provided false and misleading information, and has wrongly applied Section 8(1)(i), since no deliberation was pending at the relevant time.
3. That, the Honourable Supreme Court in the matter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India vs. Shaunak H. Satya [(2011) 8 SCC 781] held that even draft reports are covered under the definition of information and are disclosable unless they fall under a specific exemption.
4. That, the draft report prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), a publicly funded body, contains serious mistakes, such as using a photo of an African elephant in a report meant for Indian elephants--an error admitted by the MoEF&CC. The MoEF&CC has also criticized the WII for using a "cut-copy-paste" approach, producing a report that lacks clarity, ignores scientific standards, and shows high textual similarity. This shows negligence and waste of taxpayer money. Hence, disclosure of the records is in public interest, as citizens have a right to know how their money is being used. PRAYER
5. That, the CPIO may kindly be penalized under Sections 20(1) and 20(2) of the RTI Act for failing to provide the requested information and disobeying the ruling of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, and disciplinary action may also be recommended against the FAA for acting against the said mandate and for furnishing false and misleading information before this Hon'ble Page 3 of 6 CIC/MOENF/A/2025/641265 Commission. 6. That the information sought information may kindly be provided..."
6. The Respondent while defending their case inter alia submitted that the development of a genetic database for captive elephants across India is currently in progress. The report submitted by the Wildlife Institute of India is in draft form, which is still incomplete, and is under review by the Ministry. It can only be shared once it has been finalized and formally approved by the Ministry. He averred that the final report will be placed in public domain. A written submission dated 01.04.2026 has been received from the CPIO and same has been taken on record for perusal. The relevant extract whereof is as under:
"..The matter is related to information sought by Shri Nitin Singhvi under RTI Act, 2005 on 18.07.2025 (Annexure 1). The appellant vide his RTI application inter alia sought a copy of the report titled "Annual Progress Report on the Captive Elephant Database Project" submitted in the year 2025 by the Wildlife Institute of India to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO), vide letter dated 31.07.2025 (Annexure-II), informed the appellant that the report submitted by the Wildlife Institute of India is presently in draft stage and under examination and review by the Ministry, and therefore the same could not be shared at this stage.
Being dissatisfied with the reply of the CPIO, the appellant preferred a First Appeal before the First Appellate Authority (FAA) on 01.08.2025. The FAA, after due consideration, disposed of the appeal vide order dated 26.08.2025 (Annexure-III).
Alleging that no relief had been granted by the FAA, the appellant filed the present Second Appeal before the Hon'ble Commission.
Page 4 of 6CIC/MOENF/A/2025/641265 In this regard, it is respectfully submitted that the report sought through the RTI application is presently a draft document submitted by the Wildlife Institute of India to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and is still under evaluation and internal deliberation. Disclosure of such draft reports, being part of the ongoing decision- making process, aligns with the spirit of the exemption under Section 8(1)(i). It is further submitted that the Captive Elephant Database Project is presently incomplete and only partial data has been compiled so far. Premature disclosure of the draft report containing incomplete database information may raise serious concerns relating to the safety and protection of captive elephants, as unprotiled elephants could become vulnerable to illegal transfer, sale, or smuggling.
In view of the above facts and circumstances, it is respectfully submitted that the response furnished by the CPIO and upheld by the FAA is in accordance with the provisions of the RTI Act, and the denial of the requested draft report at this stage is justified..."
Decision:
7. At the outset, Commission directs the concerned PIO to furnish a copy of their latest written submission dated 01.04.2026 along with annexures if any, to the RTI Applicant, free of cost via speed-post and via e-mail, within 07 days from the date of receipt of this order and accordingly, compliance report be sent to the Commission.
8. 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. It is noted that report submitted by the Wildlife Institute of India is presently in draft stage and under examination and review by the Ministry of Environment., Forests & Climate Change, and therefore the same could not be shared at Page 5 of 6 CIC/MOENF/A/2025/641265 this stage. It is further observed that the Respondent during hearing clearly stated that the final report will be placed in public domain. In the given circumstances, no further intervention of the Commission is warranted in this case under the RTI Act. The appeal is disposed of accordingly.
Copy of the decision be provided free of cost to the parties.
Sd/-
(P R Ramesh) (पी. आर. रमेश) Information Commissioner (सूचना आयु ) Authenticated true copy Vivek Agarwal (िववेक अ वाल) Dy. Registrar (उप पंजीयक) 011-26107048 Addresses of the parties:
1 The CPIO Scientist-"C"-(Project Elephant) & CPIO, Ministry of Environ., Forests & Climate Change, Project Tiger & Elephant Division, Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, Jor Bagh Road, New Delhi-110003.
2 Nitin Singhvi Page 6 of 6 Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-
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