SAJIMON PARAYIL Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The challenge in this writ petition is against Ext.P3 order of the State Information Commission, directing the State Public Information Officer (SPIO for short) to provide the information and attested copies of all relevant pages of the Justice K. Hema Committee Report, except the portions exempted from disclosure under Right to information Act, 2005 (the "RTI Act" for short).

(2.) The facts essential for addressing the challenge are as under:-

(3.) The Justice Hema Committee, after conducting extensive study, including personal interaction with women employees who had faced gender discrimination and harassment, submitted its report to the Government on 31/12/2019. Thereafter, on 11/1/2020, an application under Sec. 6(1) of the RTI Act was submitted for obtaining a copy of the report. The State Public Information Officer rejected the application and the rejection was affirmed in appeal vide Ext.P2 order of the State Information Commission. Much later, on 13/2/2024, the 5th respondent submitted an application seeking access to the permissible parts of the Justice Hema Committee report, excluding those which cannot be disclosed under the provisions of the RTI Act. The State Public Information Officer having denied the information, an appeal was filed before the State Information Commission. The appeal was considered along with similar appeals and allowed as per Ext P3, with the following directions;