Activists ask why rider on Padma award RTI reply

Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah said a public authority could only recommend such requests but cannot dictate the terms. The Act speaks only about disclosure or non-disclosure of the requisite information and no public authority can press a condition in their reply. Therefore,though it could be a matter of courtesy,there cannot be any legal obligation on an applicant to abide by any such term, Habibullah said.

Agrawal said,No public authority can be allowed to come up with such conditions while giving response to a RTI query. It is against the spirit of transparency and accountability that are the essence of the Act.

RTI activist Afroz Alam said,It could not be within the purview of the ministry concerned to add stipulations like this,for it defeats the entire purpose of the legislation.