7 months ago
CIC flags Delhi health dept for RTI compliance lapses
The Chief Information Commissioner, Raj Kumar Goyal, has expressed concern over the Delhi government's health department not following the rules of the Right to Information (RTI) Act properly.
This act has been in place for 20 years, but the health department is still not doing its job correctly.
A person asked for some information about a hospital in West Delhi, but the department did not respond on time.
The information was only given after the CIC had to step in, which took almost eight months.
The CIC has now asked the health department to take action and make sure this doesn't happen again.
They have also warned the person responsible for the delay that they might have to pay a fine.
The Delhi government's health department has been flagged for not complying with the RTI Act, despite it being in place for 20 years.
An RTI application filed on May 15, 2025, seeking details about a private hospital in West Delhi went unanswered initially.
The CIC noted that no reply was furnished by the public information officer within the stipulated time, nor was any order passed by the first appellate authority.
The information was ultimately provided on January 7, 2026, nearly eight months later, after the commission issued notices.
The CIC has directed that a copy of the order be forwarded to the principal secretary (Health), Delhi government, for appropriate action and has issued a show-cause notice to the then public information officer for the delay.
- Who
- Chief Information Commissioner Raj Kumar Goyal and the Delhi government's health department
- What
- Non-compliance with the RTI Act and delays in providing information
- Where
- Delhi, India
- When
- RTI application filed on May 15, 2025; information provided on January 7, 2026
- Why
- To highlight the systemic lapses and the need for awareness and accountability among RTI functionaries
Key facts
- Date of RTI Application
- May 15, 2025
- Date of CIC Order
- January 16, 2026
- Date Information Provided
- January 7, 2026
- Potential Penalty
- Up to Rs 25,000
- Department Involved
- Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS)
Quotes
Mohammad Nadeem
State Information Commissioner of Uttar Pradesh
“Unless the CCTV footage of a hospital premises is part of a police investigation or a judicial order, it cannot be made available to any individual merely on demand.”
NDTV
“The RTI Act, he said, cannot be treated as a substitute for investigation or trial.”
NDTV
