के न्द्रीय सूचना आयोग Central Information Commission बाबा गंगनाथ मागग,मुननरका

Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka नई निल्ली, New Delhi – 110067 नितीय अपील संख्या / Second Appeal No. CIC/DOP&T/A/2024/606156 CA Rakesh Kumar Gupta … अपीलकताग/Appellant VERSUS बनाम CPIO:

1. Department of Personnel & …प्रनतवािीगण/Respondents Training, New Delhi

2. Central Information Commission, New Delhi Relevant dates emerging from the appeal:

RTI : 21.12.2023 FA : 11.02.2024 SA : 13.02.2024 CPIO : 16.01.2024 FAO : 13.02.2024 Hearing : 11.02.2026 Date of Decision: 10.03.2026 CORAM:

Hon’ble Commissioner _ANANDI RAMALINGAM

O R D E R

1. The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 21.12.2023 seeking information on the following points:

➢ Particulars of Information requested is related to Actions done by Central Government to comply Hon’ble Supreme Court Order in Title- Kishan Chand Jain v. Union of India & Ors. (Neutral Citation: 2023 INSC 915) directed CIC and SIC CIC/DOP&T/A/2024/606156 Page 1 of 10 And to comply obligation created by Hon’ble Delhi High Court Notification No. 02/Rules/DHC dated made Live Steaming and Recording of Court Proceedings Rules of the High Court of Delhi, 2022 Kindly provide information in soft form by E Mail.

1. Kindly provide soft copy OF records for information referred in Point 2 and 3 or from which information is supplied on Point 2 and 3 .

2. Kindly provide actions done by Central Government to comply Hon’ble Supreme Court of India order in Case Title- Kishan Chand Jain v. Union of India & Ors.

(Neutral Citation: 2023 INSC 915) directed CIC and SIC.

Summary of case petitioner has sought the reliefs summarized in Para 3. Page 2 onward Purpose /

Objective of RTI is explained in Para 5:

Para 20- it is evident that is the constitutional duty of the organs of the state to provide individuals with the means of access to justice in an effective and efficient manner. Particularly, it is duty of the Government to raise the standards of infrastructure by adopting technology to make our institutional processes accessible and inclusive.

Para 21- The recent technological advancements in terms of video conferencing must be used to promote inclusion of people living in remote areas within the fold of the justice delivery mechanism In Swapnil Tripathi v. Supreme Court of India, it was observed that technological solutions can be a tool to actualize the right of access to justice by providing virtual entry to the litigants in the courtroom Para 22 It is a constitutional duty of every adjudicatory institution, may it be courts, tribunals, or commissions, to adopt technological solutions such as videoconferencing and make them available to litigants and the members of the Bar on a regular and consistent basis. The use of technology is no longer an CIC/DOP&T/A/2024/606156 Page 2 of 10 option. Properly deployed for the purpose of conducting hybrid or virtual hearings, technology has the potential to ensure access to justice by obviating the need for citizens to travel long distances to secure the right of being heard Para 23- In view of the above discussion, we are of the considered view that access to the Information Commissions is integral to securing the right to information, which is a necessary concomitant of right to equality under Article 14, the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, and the right to life under Article 21. Accordingly, we direct that all SICs across the country must provide hybrid modes of hearing to all litigants for the hearing of complaints as well as appeals. All SICs must provide an option for availing of a hybrid mode of hearing which shall be at the discretion of the applicant, or as the case may be, the appellant. The links for availing of the option must be stipulated in the daily cause list of the Information Commissions across the country. This shall be operationalized no later than by 31 December 2023

3. This points related to tribunals working in NCT Delhi Area. And include certain tri