IRCTC Responds to CIC Order on RTI Query Regarding Vendor Transparency

IRCTC Complies with CIC Directive

New Delhi: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has announced its adherence to a directive from the Central Information Commission (CIC), which required the organization to explain its refusal to disclose information related to an RTI request. This request sought to determine if certain vendors, who had applied for cluster tenders, had disclosed any ongoing cases against them by the CBI and ED.

In a statement released on Monday, IRCTC confirmed that it has complied with the CIC's order by providing a detailed response to the RTI applicant.

The statement elaborated, "The information requested was initially exempt under section 8(d) of the RTI Act. However, following the CIC's order dated 07/01/26, IRCTC has now provided a comprehensive reply to the applicant."

Additionally, the statement noted that the applicant was an unsuccessful bidder, which raises concerns regarding the interests of other competing bidders.

The CIC had mandated that IRCTC provide substantial reasons for its initial denial of information, specifically regarding whether the vendors had declared any cases filed against them by the CBI and ED.

The Commission emphasized that merely citing an exemption clause without a thorough explanation does not fulfill the requirements of a valid response under the RTI Act.

As the highest authority for adjudicating RTI-related complaints, the CIC reiterated that any denial of information must be justified with clear reasoning, placing the onus on the public authority to demonstrate the relevance of the exemption.

Consequently, the CIC instructed the CPIO to reassess the RTI application dated 11.06.2024 and issue a new detailed response to the appellant within four weeks of receiving the order.