In the instant Appeal the appellant herein instead asking for any specific information or record available with the public bodies in printed or digital form has raised a set of interrogations and questions built on his allegations and claims against the department. He has made his own arguments / propositions thereto and sought rebuttal thereof. In stricto sensu the questions that cannot be answered by the public body in printed or digital form does not make a request under the RTI Act of 2017. Section 11(3) of the Act specifically requires the request to identify the information or record in sufficient detail failing which it does not make a valid and legal request under the Act.
This Commission maintains that the request under the Act must be in accordance with the Act. All the prerequisites in section 11 of the Act must be adhered to by the applicants. The request by a citizen must be in writing and made in the manner in which the public body has the facility to receive it, identifying the information or record sought in sufficient detail to enable the public body to locate it and which provide complete address and contact details for delivery of the information or record, shall be treated as a valid request. Any perquisite missing in the request will make it void and can be negated by the public body.