CIC pulls up DDA for not giving complete information to RTI applicant on Bhoomiheen camp demolition

New Delhi, Feb 25 (PTI) The Central Information Commission has pulled up the Delhi Development Authority for failing to provide complete and specific information in response to an RTI application seeking details of alleged demolition activities at Bhoomiheen Camp in southeast Delhi on June 6, 2023.

In the RTI application, Lali Gupta claimed that a stay order was given by the Delhi High Court in the Bhoomiheen camp running from May 12, 2023, and sought to know from the officials of the Delhi Development Authority "what kind of policy was adopted under the demolition policy on June 6, 2023".

"A stay order was given by the Hon'ble Delhi High Court, even after that, the Bhoomiheen camp was demolished. Please give full information about it," the RTI application stated.

The Central Information Commission (CIC) in a recent order observed that "the reply provided (by the DDA) merely states that after the stay order, no demolition has been carried out at the Bhoomiheen Camp site by DDA. However, the appellant had specifically sought information regarding demolition carried out by DDA on June 6, 2023, and related details".

Information Commissioner Sanjeev Kumar Jindal observed that the reply furnished by the DDA was inadequate and did not address the precise queries raised by the applicant regarding demolition carried out on June 6, 2023.

The CIC noted that a "mere general statement" cannot be treated as a proper response when specific information, such as names of officers on duty, dates of demolition and the policy adopted, was sought.

The Central Information Commission also flagged procedural lapses in the handling of the RTI application, pointing out that the transfer of part of the application to the Engineering Department was not done within the statutory period of five days as required under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act.

"The Commission observes that such transfer was not made within the statutory period prescribed under the RTI Act," the order said, adding that even after the delayed transfer, no reply from the transferee CPIO was found on record.

Admonishing the conduct of both the CPIOs concerned, the CIC directed them to re-examine the RTI application and provide a revised, point-wise reply based on the information available on record.

"The commission admonishes the conduct of both the respondent CPIOs for delayed transfer and not providing an appropriate reply," it said, while directing the revised reply be furnished to the appellant within seven days.

The Bhoomiheen Camp in southeast Delhi's Govindpuri, a nearly 30-year-old slum cluster largely inhabited by migrant workers, has witnessed many demolition drives over the past years. The settlement was subjected to demolition drives in July 2023 and again in May and June 2025. In June last year, the land-owning agency demolished 344 structures at the site. PTI MHS NSD NSD