CBI exempted from RTI
UNDER Section 24 of the RTI Act, certain intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule, being organisations established by the Central Government, are exempted from the provisions of the RTI Act.
The Act in its original shape had the Second Schedule as given below:
1. Intelligence Bureau.
2. Research and Analysis Wing of the Cabinet Secretariat.
3. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
4. Central Economic Intelligence Bureau.
5. Directorate of Enforcement.
6. Narcotics Control Bureau.
7. Aviation Research Centre.
8. Special Frontier Force.
9. Border Security Force.
10. Central Reserve Police Force.
11. Indo-Tibetan Border Police.
12. Central Industrial Security Force.
13. National Security Guards.
14. Assam Rifles.
15. Special Service Bureau.
16. Special Branch (CID), Andaman and Nicobar.
17. The Crime Branch-C.I.D.- CB, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
18. Special Branch, Lakshadweep Police.
First amendment to the Second Schedule of the RTI Act substituted Sashastra Seema Bal (serial number 15) for Special Services Bureau (Sashastra Seema Bal was earlier called Special Services Bureau when it was formed in 1963 after the Sino-Indian war) and added the following four organizations (with the following serial numbers in the Second Schedule prior to the second amendment):
19. Special Protection Group.
20 Defence Research and Development Organisation.
21. Border Road Development Board.
22. Financial Intelligence Unit, India.
Second amendment to the Second Schedule omitted the following three organizations (with serial numbers in the Second Schedule):
1. 16. Special Branch (CID), Andaman and Nicobar.
2. 17. The Crime Branch-C.I.D.- CB, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
3. 18. Special Branch, Lakshadweep Police.
And included the following three organizations (with corresponding serial numbers in the Second Schedule):
1. 16. Directorate General of Income-tax (Investigation)
2. 17. National Technical Research Organisation
3. 18. Financial Intelligence Unit, India.
The Financial Intelligence Unit figuring at Sl. No. 22 was deleted (as it had moved up to Sl. No. 18.)
The Second Schedule of the RTI Act was further amended vide No.G.S.R.726(E) dated 8 October 2008 which added the following organization (at sl. No. 22):
22. National Security Council Secretariat
Now by Notification dated 9 th June 2011, Central Bureau of Investigation, National Investigation Agency and National Intelligence Grid are added to the list.
So the latest list of exempted organisations is as given below:
1. Intelligence Bureau.
2. Research and Analysis Wing of the Cabinet Secretariat.
3. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
4. Central Economic Intelligence Bureau.
5. Directorate of Enforcement.
6. Narcotics Control Bureau.
7. Aviation Research Centre.
8. Special Frontier Force.
9. Border Security Force.
10. Central Reserve Police Force.
11. Indo-Tibetan Border Police.
12. Central Industrial Security Force.
13. National Security Guards.
14. Assam Rifles.
15. Sashastra Seema Bal.
16. Directorate General of Income-tax (Investigation).
17. National Technical Research Organisation.
18. Financial Intelligence Unit, India.
19. Special Protection Group.
20. Defence Research and Development Organisation.
21. Border Road Development Board.
22. National Security Council Secretariat
23. Central Bureau of Investigation
24. National Investigation Agency
25. National Intelligence Grid
It is worth noting that information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations are excluded from the exclusion, as per Proviso to Section 24(1) of the RTI Act.