My first Magazine Skilletts_ January 2018 | Page 11

When an application is sub-
mitted following the RTI
Act, the public information
officer is to ensure that if
any of the objectives are met
in providing the infor-
mation, then a deliberate
effort is made into issuing
that information. The of-
ficer should harbour a feel-
ing of contributing towards
the fulfilment of the set ob-
jectives of the Act. The
Public Information officer
should also be aware that
any decision he/she takes
will have consequences,
good or bad, which may di-
rectly or indirectly affect a
person, organization, a
group or the government as
a whole; and hence the of-
ficer should be ready to face
any enquiry and should
have a clear idea with rea-
son as to why the infor-
mation was issued or to why
the application was rejected.
a state owned prison, then the application can be reject-
ed stating security reasons. As per the act, any infor-
mation that might affect the security of the nation, a
foreign country, relation with a foreign country or par-
ty, a state, an organization or a person, or any infor-
mation which can lead to unrest in the society can be
withheld from coming into the purview of the Act.
Section 8 (a) states : Notwithstanding anything con-
tained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give
any citizen,
i) Information, the disclosure of which would prejudi-
cially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India,
the security, strategic, scientific or economic inter-
ests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead
to incitement of an offence.
ii) Information which has been expressly forbidden to
be published by any court of law or tribunal or the
disclosure of which may constitute contempt of
court; (this includes excluding the name of victims
of highly sensitive cases. It is this rule that prevents
the media from using the real name of rape victims
or sen