IT REFERS to Press Information Bureau (PIB) release on August 25, 2010, about Union government’s reply in Parliament about government being sensitive towards alleged reports of frivolous and vexatious Right To Information petitions. It indicates government considering on DoPT recommendation to amend RTI Act to provide powers to CPIOs to outrightly reject such RTI petitions which they consider frivolous and vexatious.

Already public-authorities are grossly misusing exemption-clause of section 8 by refusing information especially under sections 8(1)(e) or 8(1)(j) of fiduciary relationship and personal nature respectively, thereby unnecessarily increasing work-load on Central Information Commission (CIC) when petitioners have no option other than to file second appeals against such wrong dismissals of petitions. Interestingly in most such second appeals, CIC-decisions are against public-authorities.