CHENNAI: In what is termed by activists as an ‘illegal requirement’, a city-based RTI petitioner who sought information from the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Tanuvas) has been told to furnish proof of address.
On March 23, A Narayanan, Director of NGO CHANGEindia, filed an RTI plea with Tanuvas. In his individual capacity, Narayanan had sought information about the faculty recruitment procedures of the university. A month later, he received a letter.
“I request you to send a copy of proof of address such as Aadhaar card, voter ID, as per the RTI Act for further action,” the university’s Public Information Officer (PIO) had written. But, a simple reading of the RTI Act, 2005, is enough to dispute the request. Chapter 2 of the Act says “the applicant shall not be required to give any other personal details except those that may be necessary for contacting him.”
“There is no need for the PIO to seek proof of address. Instead, he must supply the information sought within the statutory 30-day window,” Narayanan said.
Nikhil Dey, one of the torchbearers of the RTI movement, told Express that it was a delay tactic. “This is an attempt to circumvent and deny information,” he said while citing the Punjab and Haryana HC’s order in 2012, which termed the action of asking applicants to submit identity/address proof as ‘ultra vires’.
Significantly, a Calcutta High Court Bench in 2013 had observed that it would suffice if the RTI applicant provided just his postbox number.
“Only if the authority finds any difficulty with post box no, they may insist upon personal details,” the bench said. Even officials from the State Information Commission said address proof was not required. “The applicant may file a complaint or appeal to the first appellant authority. If he is still not satisfied, he may approach the commission,” an official said.