The instance of The Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd. reportedly not disclosing certain information with regard to financing of solar lights despite the appellant requesting for the same way back in January 2019 and upon non receipt of the requisite information, the State Information Commission directing the Bank to do so and still the information being not shared, may be due to the reasons of wrong interpretation of maintaining secrecy.
The same needs to be analysed under the Right to Information Act 2005 coupled with the Bank having been declared as Public Authority in 2012 and that makes it obligatory on the Bank to disclose the information to the appellant and not out-rightly deny it . In the instant case, the clause of confidentiality, if that has been the reason to erroneously hold back the information, becomes subservient to the aim of the RTI Act which is to strengthen transparency and accord citizens’ supremacy in exercising right to information . However, otherwise also the element of privacy is enshrined in the Act itself. The two should not go apart as conflicting issues. The need is to acquaint the Bank staff, especially the ones assigned the requisite duty , with all the details even contours of the law so that an embarrassing situation to face the ire of the CIC is avoided in future in matters of not providing the requisite information as sought for by an appellant.
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