2014 (1) TMI 792 - Commission - Customs

Request for information - Right to information - Held that - information requested for by the appellant is fully and entirely disclosable to him. Hence, the Commissioner of Customs (General), Mumbai, is hereby directed to provide para-wise information to the appellant through his CPIO - statistical information is also disclosable under the provisions of the RTI Act. Hence, the Commissioner of Customs (Gen.), Mumbai, hereby directed to disclose this information also to the appellant, free of cost - Decided in favour of appellant.

Summary

Issues involved: RTI application seeking information on vacancies and appointments of Preventive Officers in Mumbai Customs; disclosure of information by the Commissioner of Customs (General), Mumbai; request for statistical information on recruitment of Inspector of Customs (Preventive Officers) in Mumbai Customs.

Analysis:
1. The appellant filed an RTI application seeking information on vacancies and appointments of Preventive Officers in Mumbai Customs for specific years. The CPIO initially responded that the requested information was not available. However, during the hearing, it was revealed that the information was held by the Commissioner of Customs (General), Mumbai, not the Preventive Commissioner.

2. The Central Information Commissioner opined that the information requested by the appellant was fully disclosable to him. Therefore, the Commissioner of Customs (General), Mumbai, was directed to provide the requested information to the appellant through the CPIO within a specified time frame.

3. Additionally, the appellant requested statistical information on recruitment of Inspector of Customs (Preventive Officers) in Mumbai Customs, including details on vacancies, candidates recommended by SSC, and number of vacancies filled through direct recruitment and promotion quota. The Commissioner of Customs (General), Mumbai, was directed to disclose this statistical information to the appellant free of cost.

4. The order issued by the Central Information Commissioner mandated compliance within four weeks. The judgment emphasized the importance of transparency and the right to information under the RTI Act, ensuring that public authorities provide necessary information to citizens seeking it through proper channels.