New Delhi: The society meetings of IIMs
cannot be treated as confidential and minutes should be given
to RTI applicants, the Central Information Commission has held
warning the officials of IIM-Bangalore not to apply exemption
clauses without adequate reasons.
The prestigious management institute had rejected the RTI
application seeking minutes of IIM-Bangalore society meeting,
details of members of Board of Governors among other
information, saying the information is held in fiduciary
capacity under section 8(1)(e) of the RTI Act.
"The proceedings of the Academic committees, Board of
Governors and the IIM Bangalore Society cannot qualify as
information provided in a fiduciary relationship," Information
Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi said directing the officials to
provide information to the applicant.
He said all relationships usually have an element of
trust, but all of them cannot be classified as fiduciary.
"No explanation has been given to show who is giving
information to whom in a fiduciary relationship in this
matter. the Commission cannot fathom how an educational
institution could be holding the information relating to its
own Committees in a fiduciary capacity. The First Appellate
Authority is warned not to apply exemption clauses without
adequate reasons," Gandhi said.
-PTI
