THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State Chief Information Commissioner Vincent M Paul has ordered the T Branch at the State Police Headquarters should release the copy of a DPC note on Superintendent of Police (SP) promotion posts being emerged in the year 2017.
He has also ordered the DGP to conduct an examination into the complaint that many of the petitions seeking information was being denied citing that it was part of the Secret section which had been exempted from the RTI Act.
Disposing of an appeal petition filed by DYSP Abdul Rasheed seeking to order the T branch (secret section) to release the details, he said the petitioner had already made it clear that the details of the documents had already been made public. If the case that be, why the respondent did not release the document.
Vincent M Paul said in the order that releasing the details about the promotion would help only to add to the transparency. Denial of details would create the impression that there must have been certain frauds.
He has ordered to release the details within 10 days to the petitioner free of cost. The copy of the order has to be handed over to the Junior superintendent at the T branch of the police headquarters.
The officials concerned should be given the order that only highly confidential matters should be held back from the petitioners.
The Commissioner said the details sought were part of the information coming under the T Branch of the police. But the respondent could not prove that the details come under the 8 and 9 sections of the RTI Act. Their contention that the T branch had been exempted from RTI Act as per a government order would not stand.
The Commissioner said it was important to release the documents as it would be helpful in ensuring the transparency and responsibility besides avoiding nepotism.
The reason cited for denying the details was that the process for preparing the select list of the DySps was under progress and the T Section (secret section of the police headquarters had been exempted from RTI Act.
For the release
The Commission said releasing the details about the promotion will ensure transparency and responsibility besides avoiding nepotism. Not doing so would create the impression that there must have been certain frauds, it said.