UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Vs. MANOJ KUMAR SINGH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS petition has been filed by Union Public Service Commission impugning the order dated 20.11.2012 passed by Central Information Commission (CIC) , New Delhi in as much as the petitioner has been directed to provide certified copies of the evaluated answer sheet of the Hindi paper as well as inform the respondent as to the cut off/qualifying marks both for the Hindi and English tests paper taken by the respondent as a part of the Civil Services Main Examination, 2010.

(2.) BRIEFLY stated, the facts are that the respondent had appeared in the Civil Services Main Examination 2010. Apparently, he did not qualify in the Hindi paper, which is a qualifying subject. Dissatisfied with his results, he filed an application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (hereinafter referred to as 'RTI Act') on 19.08.2011, seeking the following information: -

(3.) THE petitioner's denial to provide the information was carried in appeal before the Appellate Authority. The Appellate Authority rejected the appeal of the respondent by stating that the response given by the CPIO was appropriate. Aggrieved by the same, the respondent preferred an appeal before the CIC. Before the CIC, it was contended by the respondent that the answer sheets had been destroyed. Nonetheless, by the impugned order, the CIC directed the CPIO to verify the records and if the same were found, to provide, certified copies of the evaluated answer sheets for the Hindi paper to the respondent within fifteen days. The CIC also directed the CPIO to inform the respondent about the cut off/qualifying marks for the subjects of Hindi and English in respect of the examination in question. Aggrieved by the directions issued by the CIC by the impugned order, the petitioner has filed the present petition.