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The Central Information Commission (CIC) has advised the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to proactively disclose records relating to residential lift installations, including building plans, approvals, maps and associated documents, in the wider public interest. The advisory was issued in the past week while disposing of a show-cause proceeding against an MCD Public Information Officer (PIO) over delays in providing information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Information Commissioner Vinod Kumar Tiwari observed that records relating to lift installation permissions have recurring public relevance and should be placed in the public domain to improve transparency and reduce the need for individual RTI applications. The Commission accepted the PIO's explanation for the delay and decided against initiating penal action.
The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to proactively place in the public domain records relating to residential lift installations, including building plans, maps, approvals and other associated documents. The advisory was issued by Information Commissioner Vinod Kumar Tiwari in the past week while disposing of a show-cause proceeding against an MCD Public Information Officer (PIO) concerning delays in providing information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The matter arose from an RTI application seeking records relating to the installation of a lift in a residential apartment complex. During the proceedings, the Commission examined the nature of the information sought and concluded that such records have recurring public relevance and should be made available without requiring citizens to submit individual RTI applications.
According to the Commission, the information requested included permissions, sanctions, approved plans and allied documents concerning lift installations in residential premises. It observed that these records carry wider public interest as they relate to construction approvals and regulatory compliance affecting residential buildings.
The Commission noted that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi already places sanctioned building plans in the public domain. Building on this existing practice, it advised the civic body to similarly disclose information relating to lift installation approvals, including cases involving retrofitting or retro-installation in existing buildings.
The advisory recommends that the MCD proactively publish permissions or sanctions granted for lift installations, applicable guidelines, prescribed procedures, formats and related documents in accordance with the spirit of Section 4(1)(b) of the RTI Act. The Commission said such disclosure would improve transparency, facilitate easier public access to information and reduce the volume of individual RTI requests seeking similar records.
Information Commissioner Tiwari observed that proactive disclosure of such information would serve the larger public interest by making regulatory records readily accessible and promoting greater openness in civic administration.
The advisory was issued while disposing of the show-cause proceedings initiated against the concerned Public Information Officer for delays in furnishing the requested information. After considering the explanation submitted by the officer, the Commission accepted that there was no mala fide intention or deliberate obstruction in processing the RTI application.
Consequently, the Commission decided that no penal action was warranted under the provisions of the RTI Act. However, it emphasised the importance of proactive disclosure of residential lift installation records as a measure to strengthen transparency and reduce the administrative burden associated with repeated information requests on matters of continuing public interest.
Source - PTI
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