"Applicants are expected to seek information that is clear, specific, and directly related to their grievance or public interest"

In a significant and precedent-setting decision, the Punjab State Information Commission has disposed of 75 Second Appeals filed by a single appellant, Gurmej Lal of Ludhiana, for seeking voluminous and unspecific information from multiple public authorities across the State, the Information and Public Relations Department, Punjab said in a press release today. 

Chairman Punjab State Information Commission Inderpal Singh Dhanna informed that State Information Commissioner Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal while pronouncing final order, observed that the appellant had been granted multiple opportunities to reframe his Right to Information (RTI) applications in a specific and point-wise manner as per the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005. However, despite repeated directions issued through several interim orders, the appellant failed to comply, the release said.

It said that the the Commission noted that the appellant’s RTI applications were largely template-based, containing repetitive and non-specific queries, which not only involved third-party records but also required collation of extensive data across departments. Such demands were found to violate Section 7(9) of the RTI Act, which prevents disclosure of information that would disproportionately divert the resources of a public authority.

Expressing concern, the Commission highlighted that such indiscriminate use of the RTI mechanism causes unwarranted burden on the offices of the Public Information Officers (PIOs) and unnecessarily consumes the valuable time of the Commission. This, in turn, delays the adjudication of genuine appeals and increases pendency, thereby defeating the very spirit of transparency and accountability envisaged under the RTI Act.

The Commission emphasized that the Right to Information is a tool for transparency, not for harassment. Applicants are expected to seek information that is clear, specific, and directly related to their grievance or public interest. Misuse of the law by filing hundreds of vague and bulky applications only serves to obstruct the system rather than strengthen it. 

Concluding the proceedings, State Information Commissioner Sh. Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal observed that the order should serve as a lesson for RTI seekers to exercise their rights responsibly and judiciously, respecting both the intent of the law and the administrative resources of public authorities.

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