CIC slams Income Tax Settlement Commission for Lack of Internal Co-Ordination [Read Order]

The Central Information Commission, on Wednesday, has criticized the authorities of the Income Tax Settlement Commission (ITSC) for avoidable mis-communication within the Public Authority.

The Commission of Mr. Bimal Julka was hearing an appeal filed by the Chairman of Income Tax Settlement Commission against a RTI application filed by RTI activist R.K. Jain in 2013 requiring information regarding the functioning of the public authority.

The petitioner submitted that, the CPIO’s response to the aforementioned application was un-acceptable for the chairman and aggrieved was erroneous, unjustified, unwarranted and deserved to be quashed under the law since the information pertaining to the working of a quasi-judicial body could not be disclosed under Section 8(1)(b) of the RTI Act, 2005.

The Chairman has revised the jurisdiction of the CPIO in an office order 2 months before the RTI appeal and claimed that the CPIO’s had no jurisdiction and authority to do so. Subsequently he cancelled the orders of the FAA/CPIO stating them as ab initio void.

While disposing the appeal, MR. Bimal Julka observed that no further intervention of the Commission is required in the matter and was quoted, “there was a palpable lack of communication/ internal co-ordination within the Public Authority that needs to be revisited and strengthened within the Public Authority itself.”

Read the full text of the Order below.

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