R.Muruganantham v. The Regional Manager
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 25.03.2024
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN R.Muruganantham ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Regional Manager, Tamilnadu Civil Supplies Corporation, Kuruvikaran Salai, Anna Nagar, Madurai District.
2.The Assistant Manager (Quality Control), Tamilnadu Civil Supplies Corporation, Warehouse, Kappallur, Madurai District.
3.The Public Information Officer, Tamilnadu Civil Supplies Corporation, Kuruvikaran Salai, Anna Nagar, Madurai District.
... Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the 2nd respondent to furnish the documents which sought under Section 6(1) Right to Information Act 2005, to the petitioner as per the order passed by the 1st respondent under Section 19(1) Right to Information Act 2005, in proceedings Se.Mu.Aa.No.P7/013102/2023 dated 19.01.2024.
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For Petitioner : Mr.V.Sriram For Respondents : Mr.K.R.Baduru Zaman, Standing Counsel.
ORDER
The petitioner wants certain documents from the respondent corporation. Since the original authority did not honour his request, he filed appeal before the appellate authority. The appellate authority vide proceedings dated 19.01.2024 directed the original authority to furnish the documents sought for by the petitioner without insisting on payment of charges. For directing the third respondent to act in terms of the order passed by the second respondent, the present writ petition came to be filed.
2.I am shocked at the order passed by the appellate authority. The learned standing counsel for the corporation states that the number of pages sought for by the petitioner would run into almost one lakh. The cost of photocopying itself is Rs.91,442/-. I fail to understand as to how the Public Information Officer can be expected to bear this cost. The petitioner also wants each page to be signed and authenticated. It means that the third respondent has to put signature in as many as one lakh of pages. The enactment of Right to 2/4
Information Act is being celebrated by all of us. It is a fact that it is being misused. The case on hand is a classic instance. I decline to grant relief to the petitioner and the writ petition stands dismissed. No costs. 25.03.2024 NCC : Yes/No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes/ No ias 3/4
G.R.SWAMINATHAN, J.
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