TN Information Commission Rejects RTI Seeking Details on Official Under 90 Heads

The Tamil Nadu Information Commission in Chennai has rejected an appeal filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking voluminous details under 90 separate heads regarding a government official, ruling that the query lacked any element of public interest and would hinder the routine functioning of a government office.

Delivering the order, State Information Commissioner V P R Ilamparithi stated that the information sought pertained to a third party and that the appellant had sought excessive details regarding an official serving in the School Education Department.

The Commission observed that such an extensive request directly attracted Section 7(9) of the RTI Act. Under this provision, requests can be turned down if providing the information would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority required for its regular, day-to-day administrative duties.

The proceedings arose from an RTI application submitted by appellant Mohan S Thamizhkumaran. In his petition, Thamizhkumaran had sought detailed information spanning 90 heads concerning V Rameshkumar, who was serving as a block educational officer in the Palani union of Dindigul district.

Among the various queries raised in the application were records concerning the specific union to which Rameshkumar was first appointed as a block educational officer, as well as particulars regarding any disciplinary action initiated or taken against him during his service.

Before reaching the Commission at the appeal stage, the application had been transferred between multiple authorities under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act.