CIC backs decision to protect identity of those who commit suicide

BARC gave the number of employees who have committed suicide but refused to disclose their names and the positions they held.

The BARC said it is personal information and cannot be shared under the provisions of the transparency law.

We think that the official was right in not disclosing the names of those employees who had committed suicide. The information regarding the manner of death of an individual person is ordinarily in the nature of personal information, Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra said.

Mishra said that he found nothing wrong

in the decision of the BARC officials.

The family members of the deceased have the right to live a life of dignity,Mishra said.

He added,Disclosure of information regarding the suicide of a family member and the consequent discussion in the public about death has the potential to cause severe invasion of the privacy of the family,let alone causing disrespect to the dead, he said.

Upload details of transparency officers

Making it clear that it is not softening its stance on the appointment of Transparency Officers,the Central Information Commission has written to all ministries asking them to make public details about these officers on a dedicated link on the commissions website. Ensuring the implementation of Section 4 of the RTI Act,CIC in its correspondence to all secretaries of the Government of India informed them about the link. The letter from its secretary B B Srivastava stated: Public authorities are required to update the details regarding Transparency Officer in the Master Updation category.