‘Display of public info officer’s details absent at police stations’

“I made enquires with a number of deputy commissioners in the city through RTI applications about the mandatory display board on public information officer at police stations. Though the majority of the stations had no display board, all DCs except one claimed in their replies that there were boards at all police stations,” noted RTI activist Kasimayan.

After receiving RTI replies from some of the officers, the activist went around the city to verify if they had indeed displayed such boards on public information officer. “Except at one station, no other stations had the board,” he alleged.

“On that board too, they have changed the name of public information officer to ‘right’ information officer. This itself has made it clear that the police are not serious about RTI and giving information to the public, Kasimayan added.

The Flower Bazaar deputy commissioner was the only officer who admitted that no stations in his jurisdiction have such display boards on public information officer.

Even stranger was the reply from the Kilpauk Deputy Commissioner, who contended that as per Section 8 1(J) of the RTI Act, 2005, information on public information officer and appealing authority cannot be divulged. However, the section that the officer cited is related to disclosure of personal information, which has no relationship to any public activity.

According to Kasimayan, this has made it clear that the city police have no policy on Right to Information Act and transparency in administration. “If they have any policy on a transparent administration, their replies would have at least been similar,” he said.