Panchkula/Faridabad : The State Information Commission, Haryana, has taken strong exception to the practice of appointing junior-level employees as State Public Information Officers (SPIOs) under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and advised the Municipal Corporation Faridabad to designate suitably experienced mid-level or senior officers for the role.
The observation was made while hearing Complaint Case No. 114/2025, Shri Deepak Tripathi vs. State Public Information Officer, Municipal Corporation Faridabad, by State Information Commissioner Dr. Ajay Kumar Sura.
The Commission observed that the position of an SPIO is a critical statutory responsibility and cannot be treated merely as an administrative or clerical assignment. It raised concerns over the Municipal Corporation Faridabad’s practice of appointing Assistant-level employees or clerical staff as SPIOs.
Commission Highlights Government Directives
The Commission referred to Government of Haryana letter No. 5/52/2016-1AR, dated August 14, 2018, issued by the Chief Secretary’s Office, which specifies the ranks of senior officers eligible to perform the duties of SPIOs and First Appellate Authorities (FAAs) in departments and field offices.
According to the Commission, appointing Assistant-rank employees as SPIOs is contrary to the government’s stated instructions.
The Commission further emphasised that an SPIO must have adequate legal understanding and administrative competence to determine which information can be disclosed and which information is exempt under the RTI Act.
It noted that mid-level and senior officers are better placed to access records across different branches, seek assistance from subordinate officers under Section 5(4) of the RTI Act, and take informed and objective decisions on RTI applications.
Advisory to Municipal Commissioner
The State Information Commission advised the Municipal Commissioner, Faridabad, to review the existing arrangement and ensure that suitable mid-level or senior officers with adequate administrative authority and experience are designated as SPIOs.
The Commission observed that assigning the responsibility to clerical-level employees could undermine the spirit and objectives of the RTI Act.
RTI Activist Association Welcomes Order
The order was welcomed by Ajay Kumar Bahl, President of the RTI Activist Association, who described the decision as a significant step towards ensuring compliance with the Haryana Government’s 2018 directions.
Bahl said that appointing lower-level employees as SPIOs could contribute to delays in disposing of RTI applications and affect applicants’ ability to obtain accurate information.
He said that designating appropriately senior officers as SPIOs would help ensure the effective implementation of the RTI Act and strengthen transparency and accountability in governance.