RTI Appeal Dismissed: CIC Upholds North Western Railway's Response as 'Appropriate' - 2025-08-28

CIC Dismisses Appeal Against North Western Railway, Rules Information Provided Was "Appropriate"

New Delhi – The Central Information Commission (CIC) has disposed of an appeal filed by Sunita Jangid against the North Western Railway, ruling that the information provided by the railway authorities was appropriate and in accordance with the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. The Commission found no grounds for intervention in the matter.

The decision, delivered by Information Commissioner Vinod Kumar Tiwari, brings to a close a second appeal concerning information sought by Jangid regarding action taken on her complaint dated January 7, 2022.

Background of the Case

The case originated from an RTI application filed by Sunita Jangid on September 27, 2023. She sought specific documents related to a representation she had submitted to the General Manager of North Western Railway. Her primary requests included:

1. A certified copy of her complaint dated January 7, 2022.
2. Certified copies of comments and file notings made by the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) and other officials on her complaint.
3. Details of the decision-making process related to a previous CIC order, where it was stated that no inquiry was conducted based on her complaint.

The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of the North Western Railway provided a response, supplying a copy of her complaint but stating that specific file notings were not available as the matter was sub-judice. They added that her representation was considered, which contributed to her eventual promotion.

Dissatisfied with what she termed "irrelevant and misleading information," Jangid filed a first appeal. The First Appellate Authority (FAA) upheld the CPIO's response and provided additional documents. Still feeling aggrieved, Jangid escalated the matter to the CIC with a second appeal.

Arguments Before the Commission

During the hearing, the appellant's representative argued that the core information—specifically the file notings and comments from senior officials—was never provided. They contended that the railway's response was evasive.

The appellant also raised a significant procedural issue, alleging that a previous offer by the CPIO to inspect documents was misleading. The invitation letter for an inspection on February 13, 2023, was posted on February 15 and received on February 16, making it impossible to comply.

In its defense, the North Western Railway submitted that a point-wise reply with all available information had been provided to the appellant. They clarified that while the DRM had not made any comments directly on the representation itself, details of all subsequent actions, which included the DRM's inputs, were shared. The respondent reiterated their offer for the appellant to inspect any available records. The appellant's representative confirmed that an inspection had since taken place but expressed continued dissatisfaction.

Commission's Final Decision

After reviewing the records and hearing both parties, Information Commissioner Vinod Kumar Tiwari observed that the respondent had furnished an appropriate reply. The judgment noted that responses were provided via letters dated November 7, 2023, December 26, 2023, and a final written submission on August 22, 2025.

The Commission concluded that the responses were in line with the provisions of the RTI Act and upheld them. "The Commission after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing both the parties and perusal of the records observes that as far as RTI application is concerned appropriate reply has been furnished by the Respondents," the order stated.

Finding no reason to intervene further, the Commission disposed of the appeal, effectively closing the case in favor of the North Western Railway.