Opinion of State, Centre sought on forming info panel special bench

The first bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, before whom the plea in this regard came on Wednesday, said, “it may do well for the State and the Centre to consider whether, particularly, during the present crisis, benches of the SIC and CIC can take up matters on the virtual mode upon indicating an e-filing system to deal with COVID-related matters and information for at least 3 or 4 hours a day.”

However, the bench, on directing the CIC to consider the matter and communicate the decision to the petitioner in a week, held, “at the same time, citizens should be careful in not diverting the attention of an employee from his main duties to attend to RTI queries only.”

Though the plea moved in 2020 had called for guidelines to fix a timeline for deciding on first and second appeals and complaints filed under the RTI Act particularly regarding information concerning life and liberty, the bench refused to pass any directions.

But it held that it is open to the petitioner to make representation to the Union to introduce corresponding provisions to deal with urgent matters in the appellate provision.

“No writ of mandamus can be issued to direct any legislation or even to incorporate an amendment,” the bench added. It also recorded a submission by SHRC that for nearly a year a special sitting has been organised every Tuesday to deal exclusively with urgent matters covered by the proviso to s 7 (1) of the RTI Act.